Ars Electronica Center Opening ’96

September 2nd, 1996 - September 6th, 1996

Categories: VR Art

About

Dan Sandin, Professor of the School of Art and Design and co-Director of the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL), brought to Europe a body of immersive post-literate works to be presented in the CAVE Virtual Reality system.

These works opened the first CAVE outside of the U.S. The collaboration of the Ars Electronic Center and EVL has created the first permanent environment for the public display of Virtual Reality art.

EVL’ s Virtual Reality Art Show included:

  • Oort Continuum, where EVL students and faculty created a variety of different worlds - all accessible from one collaborative space. The adventure begins at the Oort Cloud ring where an individual can teleport or take a teleride to the next exciting location.
  • The Great Sandini Virtual Reality Circus, each collaborator created a circus tent or side-show. Visitors could tour the midway, then ride Vomit Mountain, feed the giant tongues in the Food tent, or be attacked by VR Jack in the Boxes.
  • Vandalism is a virtual art gallery. Famous works of art have been gathered here, the Mona Lisa, Van Gogh’s self portrait, and Monet’s Cathedral at Rouen . The user is provided with a set of VR spray cans and let loose to alter existing art-works or create their own on the blank canvases provided or on the walls. A VR magnet will also warp the sculptures in the gallery.