Stefano Dealessandri
Self—Love—VRClinic, 2020
VR experience for Oculus Quest
How can we take care of ourselves during a pandemic? What does self-love look like in the digital space? In »Self—Love—VRClinic«, a hybrid and mechanical creature resembling the Capitoline she-wolf, a mythological creature standing for motherhood and care, approaches the user begging to be petted. The avatar, whose visage resembles the user's one, comes towards the user and floats for a while trough and around them. In order for the user to pet the avatar with the VRhands, they end up cuddling themselves with their own haptic hands in the analogue world. After a while the avatar goes away and the user has just to wait for it to come back again. A Self–Love Mantra is to be heard during the whole duration of the treatment and functions as a catalyst for creating a safe and reassuring psychic environment. This speculative game can be played while standing or laying in your own bed. Since the pandemic, it got more difficult and dangerous to get physical affection from others and Self-Love got a new meaning and extent in our daily life. The immersive work »Self—Love—VRClinic« deals with these questions speculating if the usually algid digital space could be used as a safe space for taking care of one's self-esteem and well-being. The idea is to create a personalized VRSpace where users are able to cuddle themselves and so to produce oxytocin - the so-called »cuddle hormone« or »feel-good hormone«. »Self—Love—VRClinic« investigates alternative ways of care in times of analogue isolation.
Conceptual and technical support: Aram Bartholl
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ABOUT THE ARTIST
Stefano Dealessandri [he, him] (*1998, Italy) is currently studying Visual Communication at the HAW Hamburg with typography and new media as main focus of studies. His practice revolves around the investigation of quotidian environments and their immanent glitches.
If you are interested in exhibiting or viewing this artistic VR experience, please send an email to us.
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