Open Call for an Expert in Residence at the Academy for Theatre and Digitality in Dortmundfor the creation of a mixed reality environment for the performative installation ‘Held in a Human II’ in the framework of ACuTe
ACuTe is a pioneering, large-scale European innovation project supported by Creative Europe. The goal of ACuTe is to revolutionize productions and performances in theatres and performing arts through new technologies and cultural collaboration and skills development. Along the main content-related themes of the project – new dramaturgies and narrative forms for the theatre, creation of new environments and stage spaces as well interaction with the audience – the 13 partners from 10 different countries are developing theatre forms of the future that put artists, spectators and technologies in a sensory context and at the same time support the theatres in the profound integration of technologies into their everyday working environments.
The Academy for Theatre and Digitality is a globally unique pilot project for digital innovation, artistic research and technology-oriented training and further education for all areas of the performing arts – on, in front of and behind the stage. It was founded 2019 as the sixth department of the publicly funded Theater Dortmund. Central to the work of the Academy are artistic and technical research, prototypical development, application-related testing, practical advice, cultural-political structural formation and networking at regional, national and international level between actors from culture, science and business.
‘Held in a Human II’ is a performative installation by Taavet Jansen and Liis Vares that immerses the viewer in a mixed reality (MR) environment through virtual reality headset, presenting a fusion of text and image. This project extends the trajectory of Taavet’s and Liis’ previous work, which ranges from streamed theater to hybrid space installations that merge the physical with the virtual.
The first iteration of this series, ‘Held in a Human I’, featured a collaborative development of ideas between physical and virtual participants over 19 days in August 2023 in the form of a performative installation in the Estonian Academy of Arts Gallery in Tallinn. In its sequel, the authors integrate viewer-contributed texts and voices from the first installment, using VR design to create a performance in an invisible layer where real and virtual elements merge. The dramaturgy of this second part, developed in collaboration with artificial intelligence, involves a complex analysis of texts, including contributions from renowned authors like S. Beckett, F. Pessoa, A. Ginsberg, and V. Luik, to create a narrative that dynamically interacts with the spectator, the sound design and the augmented physical environment. The performative installation will be set-up in a shared non-artistic space, one of the common waiting rooms (like a theater foyer), where people gather in the context and state of waiting.
The technological challenge is to embody the text in the MR system in a way that feels organic to the viewer. The shape, appearance, and disappearance, the movement of the texts, their interaction, and their relationship to the sound design are directly related to the dynamics of the work and, thus, (presumably) to the generative narrative. Similarly, the surrounding space plays an important role, where the audience (we are working with a multiplayer system where 2 viewers see the same text) sees through the glasses the physical environment, which meaning can change when a digital layer, visible only to the participants, is added. This project aims to create an immersive, text-based environment within the Meta Quest 2 or 3 VR headsets. The project will explore the boundaries of interactive and participatory art in virtual spaces.
For this project to be a success, we are looking for an Expert in Residence who will be responsible for the following tasks:
Multiplayer Augmented Reality Setup: Set up a multiplayer environment for Meta Quest 2 or 3 headsets. This will involve researching different options, possibly using Fusion to create a shared interactive MR space. The expert will need to ensure stability and fluidity in the multiplayer experience.
Design Text-based Environment: Design a primarily text-based environment. This task requires experimenting with 3D and 2D text, different fonts, and their physical properties to create a visually compelling and engaging space. The focus should be on how text can be used creatively to shape the user experience.
Interactive Modes Development: Develop modes of interaction within the virtual environment, focusing on kinetic and haptic feedback. This includes enabling users to interact with the text and environment intuitively and innovatively.
Material Contribution Design: Create modes for users to contribute materials to the virtual environment. This includes exploring in-app and browser-based methods, including speech-to-text translation and the headset’s built-in microphone. The goal is to provide easy and varied ways for users to add content to the virtual space.
Mobile/Browser-based version: As an additional challenge, the expert should potentially develop a mobile or browser-based version of the experience for those without access to headsets. This task requires consideration of cross-platform compatibility and user experience design.
The general time frame for the collaboration between the Expert in Residence and Taavet Jansen, Liis Varet and the Academy for Theatre and Digitality is April 2024 until November 2024. The Residence will take place in form of several development sprints of 2-3 weeks at the Academy for Theatre and Digitality in Dortmund during that time. More specific working periods and the salary will be defined with the expert.
How to apply:
If you want to be part of the ‘Held in a Human II’ project as our Expert in Residence, please send us your CV and a letter of motivation via mail at acute@theater.digital until:
- Friday, March 15th, 2024
At the Academy we offer a lively international research laboratory (research, development, production) in a versatile multi-discipline theatre company, an open and diverse field of work (between numerous institutions from art, technology, and science) and dedicated teams in the various theatre departments.
We aim to further increase our percentage of women and strongly encourage women to apply. We see ourselves as family-friendly and promote the compatibility of work and family. The Academy for Theatre and Digitality can be reached barrier-free. There is free parking available, an elevator, and a bathroom for people with disabilities. An individual office can be provided.
We look forward to hearing from you!
The team of the Academy for Theatre and Digitality