Program: Fantomas - VR Arab Science Fiction

LPM Live Performers Meeting 2023 Münster
Edition XXIV April 13th - 16th 2023 | Münster
Audio Visual Performing Artists Meeting
April, 13th 2023, 3:00 pm | April, 16th 2023, 2:00 am
April 13 - 16, 2023
Bennohaus, Münster Germany, Münster, Germany
Fantomas - VR Arab Science Fiction MAIN IMAGE

Fantomas - VR Arab Science Fiction

AV Installation

Duration: 0 min.

Thursday, 13 April 2023 | 15:00 > 15:00 | Foyer
Friday, 14 April 2023 | 15:00 > 15:00 | Foyer
Saturday, 15 April 2023 | 15:00 > 15:00 | Foyer
Sunday, 16 April 2023 | 15:00 > 15:00 | Foyer

Fantomas is a virtual reality art exhibition; where the audience can use VR headsets to experience 6 immersive projects created by the participants in Fantomas Lab.

Fantomas Lab was held under the supervision of artists Jean François Robin and Maha Maamoun, with the contribution of the guests: Nadim Choufi, Assem Hendawi and Huniti Goldox and the technical support from 412 labs.
VR Arab Science Fiction was born from the alliance between VAF, Flyer and Medrar for contemporary Art and was implemented in the framework of the All-Around Culture program by L’art Rue & MitOst funded by the European Community.

Seven participants were selected through Fantomas open call. The participants are: Fahed Sayej, Hafez Hamdallah, Sara Ayman, Ahmed Aiuby, Mena Safwat, Amr Ali and Tlön.
Fantomas Lab was eight weeks where artists worked with Maha Maamoun to develop fully fledged concepts and treatments that were later on implemented and constantly reworked and edited in the production phase under the supervision of artist Jean Francois Robin.

By the end of the 8th week, the six artworks were set up for the first time from the 1st to the 22nd of December 2022 in their respective exhibition space in Medrar where every artist worked on building an environment around the VR headset that would complement the subject of their project and invite the audience members into an immersive experience.

Exhibitions:
December 1 - 22 2022 Medrar - Il Cairo - Egypt
April 13 - 16 2023 LPM - Münster - Germany
June 16 - 20 2023 VAF - Ramallah - Palestine
September 23 - 24 2023 - Spring Attitude Festival - Rome - Italy


Artworks

1: Circles by Sarah Ayman

“Circles” portrays the human emotions as individuals with their own feelings; some of them run in circles, others strive to break free.
The project questions the notion of VR; is it a medium devoid of sentiments? We might have different views on this topic. However, we can all agree that technology is to take over the future. What is to become of us shall we not be able to express our genuine selves in this foreseen future? Will this world, in turn, render us emotionless?


2: Anachronistic Spaces by Tlon

A walk-through exhibition space, where artistic-film works are planted in an uncanny environment.
The viewer walks through film works, surrounded by elements that find their way out of the screens suspended between skies and earth; forming a map of their own.
Anachronistic Spaces questions the materiality and form of film: How could the XR experience potentially build different narratives for already existing works? Anachronistic Spaces experiments with the modes of film-viewing and moving images - How could this phantom cinema space expose a different possibility for the life of film?


3: Frog by Ahmed Aiubi

We're living in a crisis! Environmental, political, ethical and cultural emergencies face us on a daily basis because of the state of the globe. A critical situation has emerged out of our
humanist tradition and the way we perceive ourselves as exceptional, separate from, and in a position to exploit, nature and non-human animals for our own benefit. The project attempts to step away from the anthropocentric position in favour of the world of frogs; a symbol of a non-human being, to explore the methods through which they experience the world.
"Frogs are considered indicator species because they are the first to be affected by degradation of the environment. Their dwindling numbers may be a warning to us that our planet is becoming unlivable.”
Frog is borrowing inspiration from posthuman theories; using immersive design methods to build an audiovisual, immersive, imaginary Frog’s world as a motif for perspective-shifting of our perception of the environment


4: IN CIRCO by Amr Ali and Mena Safwat

In Circo Is about exploring the areas where perception could be tricked.
This project is a journey starting from one station, going through multiple places, exploring the borders between consciousness and unconsciousness, to engage our perceptions of the world and show how it could be delusional.
Circo is a 360 degrees world, a dream world without a real beginning nor an ending, only rhythm.


5: Speculation by Fahed Sayej with the technical contribution of Bola Tharwat and Marwan Osama.

The art of speculation has been evolving since the beginning of time. It has become one of the human instincts that indicate how they live and interact. Such life is portrayed in the project as four phases divided into two main categories; the physical life and the afterlife.
In the first phase of the project, the player has to get through the maze Life. The maze has multiple pathways, and it is up to the player to take the hard or the easy one. The second phase gives the player minimum agency; having rotating planes and a timer, the player is given limited time to reach a certain point. The third phase functions as a transitional phase between the physical world and the afterlife. At the end of the Isthmus the player goes through the final portal that transmits them to the final phase; the Afterlife. in contrast to the three physical life phases, the Afterlife phase is light, airy and bright; the movement so unique it gives the player a different perception of space, and a newfound power. However, speculation doesn’t stop there.


6: A lonely World by Hafez Hamdallah

What if our planet was destroyed? What would our existence look like? What would happen if we acquired another land? Sands,lakes,mountains… maybe in a different dimension? Or maybe a simple world full of complications…
Maybe one that no one belongs to, a world with no groups or parties, maybe we are just one virtual being running away from everything it belongs to; trying to find a way, trying to find another means to reach what he wishes to belong to, another planet to turn to… What happens if we don't have the power to shape our own planet? What is best for our future?

Gallery

  • Fantomas Artworks Stills

  • Fantomas @ LPM

  • Fantomas @ Medrar

Videos

  • Fantomas Lab & Exhibition | مختبر ومعرض فانتوماس

  • Circles by Sarah Ayman

  • Frog by Ahmed Aiubi

  • Anachronistic Spaces by Tlon

  • In Circo by Amr Ali and Mena Safwat

  • Speculation by Fahed Sayej

  • A lonely World by Hafez Hamdallah

  • Fantomas Lab & Exhibition | مختبر ومعرض فانتوماس

Author