Virtual reality technology can be used in many different creative ways. While entertainment remains the go-to concept to explore, some artists are taking a different approach. Mel Chin taps VR to convey the message of climate change and how consumers need to be more aware of the current situation.
Solving Climate Change With Virtual Reality
Visitors to Times Square will be greeted with a rather strange sight. A new VR experience is being offered courtesy of conceptual artist Mel Chin. Together with Microsoft, this new experience will touch upon the concept of climate change. It is not entirely virtual reality-based, as Chin is tapping into mixed reality to convey this powerful message.
As part of this experience, visitors will imagine a future in which climate change has made an everlasting mark on the world. Melting ice caps cause the city of New York to go underwater entirely. As part of this experience, they will see 3D-modeled ships pass by overhead. Moreover, these ships will bump into buildings and cause waves which make users feel as if they are effectively watching the future unfold before their very own eyes.
Chin also offers a different artwork known as Wake. It is a very different experience altogether, as viewers will see the hull of a shipwreck filled with skeletal remains of marine mammals. Not necessarily as appealing as the climate change experience, as that one conveys a message near and dear to people’s hearts first and foremost. Even so, Mel Chin shows virtual and mixed reality can be used for many different purposes.
Launching this experience in New York City is a smart decision. It represents the center of trade, entertainment, and capitalism for the entire United States. As such, it is also the best place to launch any ventures which are designed to make a lasting impact and get a message across. Visitors interested in this experience can use a VR headset which is provided at Times Square and see how climate change will affect our planet unless action is taken quickly.
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