By Paulo Veloso Gomes, João Donga, Vítor Sá, Henrique Curado, António Marques, Gonçalo Oliveira, Sofia Sá : :
Social Raft is an immersive Virtual Reality installation that invites participants to experience the emotional and sensory dimensions of social exclusion. Placed alone on a fragile raft adrift in an endless ocean, the participant is transported into a symbolic environment that mirrors the isolation and invisibility often felt by individuals and groups marginalized in contemporary society.
The artwork seeks to evoke empathy through a deep sensory and emotional experience, allowing participants to “feel on their skin” the psychological and existential effects of discrimination and exclusion. The vast, indifferent sea becomes a metaphor for society itself, in constant motion, yet largely oblivious to those who struggle on its periphery. The absence of land in sight intensifies sensations of disorientation, distance, and hopelessness, while the instability of the raft reflects the precarious balance between survival and despair faced by vulnerable individuals.
Through sound, movement, and visual immersion, Social Raft transforms abstract social concepts into lived experiences. By confronting participants with loneliness and uncertainty, the installation fosters a reflective and affective understanding of exclusion that transcends intellectual discourse. It invites critical awareness and emotional connection, encouraging viewers to recognize their own role within broader social dynamics of indifference and empathy.
Ultimately, Social Raft aims to contribute to a more inclusive, empathetic, and compassionate society by leveraging immersive technology as a medium for social awareness and emotional education. It demonstrates how virtual reality can become a space for ethical reflection and empathy-building, where art, technology, and human experience converge to illuminate the invisible and give voice to the silenced.
0 Comments