Lecture Notes: Immersive Storytelling and David Bowie's Influence

Introduction

• Design studio tasked with creating a museum exhibition on David Bowie.
• Aimed to appeal to both newcomers and die-hard fans.
• Previous experience in stage shows, live music, and films, but lacking in exhibition design.

Concept of Immersive Storytelling

• Age of Immersion:
  • Technological advances have led to new storytelling forms (e.g., amphitheater, printing press, internet).
  • Current possibilities for storytelling are emerging rapidly.
• Sensory Experiences:
  • Modern experiences touch all senses and play with scale and intimacy to evoke feelings.
  • Best experiences focus on the power of the story rather than merely technological novelty.

David Bowie's Influence

• Bowie resisted sticking to one genre or art form; he embodied the collision of ideas.
• Exhibition Design Approach:
  • Abandoned traditional linear narrative.
  • Created a collage of objects, music, and images reflecting Bowie's eclectic style.
  • Aimed for an immersive promenade experience, leading to a live performance finale.

The Apollo 11 Moon Landing Commemoration

• Created an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11.
• Aim was to evoke the scale of the mission while also telling the story of the people behind it.
• Innovative Format:
  • Proposed using the Washington Monument as a backdrop for the spectacle.
  • Required significant permissions, but ultimately 500,000 people attended the event.

Collaboration with David Hockney

• In 2019, initiated collaboration with artist David Hockney to explore new storytelling forms.
• Hybrid Experience:
  • Concept was part exhibition, part theater, part documentary.
  • Aimed to recreate intimate conversations about Hockney's work.
• Show Development:
  • Worked closely with Hockney for three years.
  • Show presented his paintings and thoughts through immersive projections and sound.

Future of Immersive Entertainment

• Current technologies (VR, AR, AI) are still evolving.
• These technologies can bring people together rather than isolate them.
• Multidisciplinary Approach:
  • Creating immersive works requires collaboration across various fields (architecture, animation, design, etc.).
  • This creates conditions for the collision of ideas and new artistic expressions.

Conclusion

• The resulting collisions can lead to energetic new forms that change perspectives in the art and storytelling landscape.