Osmose by Char Davies

Another early work of virtual reality and interactive art that anticipated virtual worlds, Char Davies’s Osmose transported participants into a perception distorting realm. Participants could navigate various landscapes, from serene forests to subterranean realms, using a head-mounted display and abreath and balance-based motion tracking. Unlike traditional VR, Osmose used semi-representational, translucent visuals along with spatially multi-dimensional soundscapes to achieve a contemplative space. It invited participants to engage the body’s most basic functions—breathing and balance. The work explored how the digital affected our consciousness, anticipating the work of contemporary artists such as Lauren Lee McCarthy.