Untitled, 2023 | VR Digital drawing
Wá wò ó, 2023 | Virtual Reality x Mixed Media
Materials (Plaster and found objects, fabrics, metal wires, kankan sponge fibres and mirrors)
Wá wò ó means ‘come and see’ in my Yoruba language. It was chosen as a project title to convey sarcastic and playful expressions of the overwhelm and physical disorientation I experienced during my first few sessions of navigating immersive virtual reality technology at the start of my Spot VR residency at Stryx Gallery, Birmingham which was held between September and November 2023.
Wá wò ó began with experimentation between the creation of free-form digital drawings in dark voids of space with the VR software ‘Open Brush and Gravity Sketch’, the creation of augmented reality 3D models of physical sculptures from ‘In Own Image (2019)’; and further productions of physical sculptures which mimicked structural attributes and sensibilities portrayed within the textural and aesthetic attributes of some of my earlier made digital VR drawings from September like ‘Purple Infinity (2023)’.
The end parallels between both modes of creation in the virtual and physical realm led me to observe the projection of subjects from my mental and muscle memory, identity and tactile experiences translated as expressions of making and being. Where even play was made manifest through concepts, tactical imprints of textures and the assemblage of material bodies through drawing and moulding techniques into intangible and physical expressions that explore materiality in the virtual and physical realm. Such as my sculpture and installation work in materials plaster, metal and fabric, like ‘Untitled series, Plaster on board (2023), KanKan, Metal wire, (2023) and Untitled, Fabric drawing on wall, (2023).’
Untitled, 2023 | Installation, Fabric drawing on wall (Fabrics, plaster, mirrors)
Photograph by Marcin Sz
Through the juxtapositioning of iridescent conal structures created with organza fabric material and hovering circular mirrors, the Untitled (2023) installation projects a physical representation of aesthetic and structural attributes from the digital drawings ‘Untitled and Purple Infinity (2023)’ created in virtual reality, alongside the physical disorientation I intermediately experienced while immersed in the virtual realm and moments after in the real world. The purpose of this piece is to show a physically tactile assemblage of the above experiences which was not present in the virtual realm which is only audiovisually accessible.
Purple infinity, 2023 | VR Digital drawing
Free-form drawings in the virtual realm created with virtual reality software Open brush & Gravity Sketch 3D Model Sculpture videos
Surrender & Waka, In Own Image Sculpture series, 2019 | 3D Models
Untitled series, 2023 | Sculpture (Plaster drawings on canvas board)
Kankan, 2023 | VR Digital drawing
KanKan nest, 2023 | Sculpture (Kankan sponge fibres, plaster)
KanKan metal, 2023 | Sculpture (Metal wire), 1&2
Kan Kan is an indigenous West African bathing sponge, I have memories of it from my childhood with my grandmother and after just receiving some from my mother a few weeks ago I created a digital drawing in VR as well as sculptures with plaster and metal wire that was inspired by the fibres of the sponge. In making this drawing there was a lot of dizziness, due to mimicry in following the sphere of strands, whines, twirls and underbelly between grooves and knots. I found myself dancing in an effort to mimic the structures of this sponge while remembering the harshness of its texture and its effectiveness in ridding your body of any muck. Ahh memories from Ibadan.....
Cho cho cho (Tongues) series, 2023 | Sculpture (Plaster)
A physical manifestation of abstract human tongues from the VR digital drawing ‘Purple infinity, 2023’.
Psychedelic Crystal Fusion & Discord Obscured, In Own Image, Alt series, 2019 | Digital montages
Learn more
Spot VR Residency: https://stryx.co.uk/SPOT-VR-Residency-1
Artist Talk: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzMWY4aoDZh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In Own Image, Sculpture series, 2018 : https://www.tomilolaolumideart.com/in-own-image-2018
Stryx VR Gallery: Wa wọ - Stryx
Special thanks to the Stryx Gallery, Jemima Graham, Magdalena Jasiak, Pawel Frackowiak and Marcin Sz for their support during my residency.
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