REVIVAL ROADSHOW

THE WORLD PREMIERE WILL BE AT THE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ROTTERDAM FROM 30 JAN - 9 FEB 2025

"Revival Roadshow" is a 16-minute, 3-DoF virtual reality (VR) experience that seamlessly blends art, cinema, theatre, and immersive sound to examine colonial legacies and their influence on contemporary and future cultures. The narrative centres on the speculative revival of Abel Tasman, a 17th-century Dutch explorer, intimately connected to the filmmakers' backgrounds in both the Netherlands and Tasmania—the island named in his honour.

In this virtual reality experience, you are transported to a museum in a speculative future, where a mysterious artwork awaits appraisal. The piece features a colonial figure clad in gold, standing triumphantly in a dystopian, plastic wasteland. The figure gazes outward, clutching a Dutch flag while resting one foot on a lifeless animal. As the narrative unfolds, an explanation of this curious artwork emerges, leading you through a series of surreal scenes rich in detail, colour, and overlapping narratives.

A key feature of this experience is the use of directional audio, which allows you to control the narrative by shifting your gaze. As you explore each 360° scene, the direction of your gaze will reveal multiple, intertwining storylines. What begins as an appraisal of a mysterious artwork soon expands into a complex world of multiple truths, exposing not only the contested nature of storytelling but also your role within it. This single artwork generates as many questions as answers. Imagine it as a blend of Antiques Roadshow, speculative fiction, and a ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ experience.

"Decolonial Exploration in Virtual Reality Art"
A still from the VR artwork "Revival Roadshow," where viewers engage with decolonial themes through a non-linear, immersive experience. The visual blends 2D and AI-generated imagery, critiquing the reduction of complex histories into simplified narratives, much like colonial explorers mapped the world.

"Revival Roadshow" is a 16-minute, 3-DoF virtual reality (VR) experience that seamlessly blends art, cinema, theatre, and immersive sound to examine colonial legacies and their influence on contemporary and future cultures. The narrative centres on the speculative revival of Abel Tasman, a 17th-century Dutch explorer, intimately connected to the filmmakers' backgrounds in both the Netherlands and Tasmania—the island named in his honour.

"VR Art Critiquing Colonial Narratives"
This image from "Revival Roadshow" captures a scene where the viewer's gaze dictates the narrative unfolding, emphasizing the role of perspective in sustaining or challenging colonial legacies. The artwork invites reflection on the ongoing influence of colonial myths in contemporary culture.

"Abel Tasman in a Speculative Future"
This visual from "Revival Roadshow" depicts a reimagined Abel Tasman in a futuristic scenario, examining the glorification of colonial figures. The image reflects the artwork's critique of colonial legacies and the role of historical narratives in shaping modern and future identities.

Revival Roadshow Virtual Reality Art Experience.
An immersive 15-minute virtual reality artwork blending cinema and video art to explore the enduring impacts of colonial legacies through the historical figure of Abel Tasman. This image captures a surreal narrative where viewers navigate a speculative future, critiquing the myth-making of colonial heroes in a unique, multi-narrative experience.

This project is supported by:

Het Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie is het cultuurfonds voor vormgeving, architectuur, digitale cultuur en de cross-overs daartussen.