Human Nature at ‘The Art of Progress’, 19 Greek Street, London 17 – 27 September.

Natural Reality 2:1

This is pretty much what we have in store for you in the heart of Soho in September. We’ve had enough of photographs, painting and sculpture so we thought we’d up the tempo, fuel the adrenaline tank and transport Human Nature guests to a parallel virtual world.  Sound good?

Ok, so it’s not quite the matrix. And we certainly haven’t ditched the paintings. But we’re very happy to announce that we do have something incredibly special in store for you as Human Nature returns to London. Abundance is supporting the talented and forward thinking team at Third Channel to produce a unique Human Nature collaboration.

Natural Reality 2:1 is a groundbreaking Virtual Reality (VR) film, exploring our connection to the digital and ‘real’ world. Using cutting edge 360 degrees camera technology to film and VR headgear to watch and orientate viewers, you will be plunged headfirst into nature experiencing a rather deliciously jaw dropping, compelling taste of the future.

“VR will become a part of daily life for billions of people.”

 Mark Zuckerburg

Shortlisted for the first ARTE Interactive award at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2015 Natural Reality 2:1 is already causing a stir in the film world.

VR has been on the lips of production houses across the world, but few have taken the leap to explore where the technology can take us. Both the filming and headset tech are evolving daily and, keen to support progressive artists, filmmaking and increased ‘connection’ to our actions, Abundance is supporting this collaboration.

The origins of Natural Reality 2:1

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This is the North Norfolk coast. It’s where I grew up, and we’re sharing it with you. It’s where Natural Reality 2:1 was filmed.

Natural Reality 2:1 is a very personal production in many ways. It is clambering over these dunes, wading through creeks, knee high in mud, that not only do I truly connect with nature and all its mosquito bitten, shell cuts, tide turning and silent reality, but it’s where Dorothea Gibbs, Director, and I became lasting friends and created some unforgettable shared memories of what it is, ultimately, to live.

We’ve wanted to collaborate for many years and, on the launch of Human Nature last year, she was filming Brazilian TV series ‘Aerials’ in East Africa.

“It was actually an image of a gorilla that did it” says Dorothea.

“Human Nature had got me thinking about our connection to nature, and as I stared at a picture of a gorilla, into its eyes, I felt it. I felt what it was to be that gorilla. They are as close to humans as the animal kingdom gets. It was overwhelming and got me thinking how to bring people closer to that feeling.”

As a curator I want to keep Human Nature evolving and integrate film into the show so we pretty quickly agreed to get moving. We brought in Tim Godwin, Human Nature artist, designer and partner with VR specialists ‘Immersive’. We knew it was time to explore VR. But with budgets potentially prohibitively expensive for the kit alone we began to pull together ideas closer to home.

And then something tragic happened.

A close friend of Dorothea’s died suddenly aged just 33. A talented film editor and lover of gardening and nature the tragedy was not simply his death, but “I realised we’d had a virtual friendship for over eight years. I hadn’t seen him, and somehow Facebook messages had become our reality,” says Dorothea.

This changed everything.

Natural Reality 2:1 explores the impact of our digital lives on our relationships with one another and the Earth and questions the future and essence of happiness.

Join us.

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Human Nature at ‘The Art of Progress’

The UK’s first dedicated platform for environmental art is partnering with 19 Greek Street to bring a unique sustainable art and design exhibition to London. Supported by Abundance it explores our changing relationship with the nature through film, painting, sculpture and photography and more.

Featured artists include Harry Cory Wright, Lesley Hilling, ATM, Jonesy, Nicola Nemec and Louis Masai, to name but a few.

19 Greek St

London

W1D 4DT

17-27 September

More on the Art of Progress show:

www.artofprogress.co

www.londondesignfestival.com

Natural Reality 2:1

Director Dorothea Gibbs and 3D camera specialist Kevin Zemrowsky

 

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Filming for Virtual Reality: the six camera Hero 4 360 Rig mounted on a Bazooka monopod