Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar presents four student design projects

Dezeen School Shows: a game created using lidar technology which explores narratives of Filipino culture is included in Dezeen's latest school show by students at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar.

Also included is an installation created using digital 3D softwares and an animation informed by the Arabic language.

Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar

Institution: Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar
School: School of Arts
Course: Ars Electronica Festival 2024, Fractal Eleglies

School statement:

"Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) participated in the Ars Electronica festival that was held in Linz, Austria, from 4 to 8 September this year.

"It was the second time that faculty and students from the art and design University were participating in the world-renowned festival that attracted more than 80,000 visitors in 2023.

"This year, VCUarts Qatar's exhibition was titled Fractal Elegies. The Ars Electronica festival's theme was ‘Hope – who will turn the tide?’.

"As per the festival's official website, the festival's goal is to spotlight as many people as possible who have already set out on their journey and whose activities – no matter how big or small—are a very concrete reason to have hope.

"One of the designers, Rogsh Emmanuel H. Garcia, who graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design in 2024, shared his experience.

"He said, 'creatives such as myself need experiences where we can learn from other cultures. At Linz, I got to share my work with other designers and, in turn, be inspired by them. Additionally, the opportunity to represent the Filipino community and its designers and tell their stories was a way for visitors from other parts of the world to appreciate and relate to the history and heritage of the Philippines.'

"The intricate relationship between an individual and their traditional or cultural heritage is deeply interconnected yet often ambiguous, open to interpretation, and reflective of the complexities inherent in human communication.

"In the context of the Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) and the Far East regions, the interplay of cultural influences encourages a deeper examination of the complex relationship between tradition and technology. This exploration invites a moment of calm reflection at an unexpected crossroads, leading to the creation of new, multifaceted meanings.

"Fractal Elegies can serve as both a bridge and a barrier, weaving together divergent threads of history, tradition and identity. Varying media and mediating technological forms can give rise to complexities and nuances that defy simple interpretation.

"We invite viewers to contemplate and engage with the works not merely as a means of communication but as a lens through which to explore conceptions of meaning within diverse perspectives and experiences rooted in the SWANA and the Far East regions."

Queen of the Mountains by Nada Abdo, Ayza Sheikh, Syed Naqvi and Erika Tsuchiya

"Based on a poem by Qatari poet Saoud Al-Kuwari, this piece aims to create an installation where viewers can experience a feeling of shared immersion through a spherical projection on a dome structure.

"It was created by a collaborative team from VCUarts Qatar, working in 3D software (blender, unity), to reflect the natural beauty and history of the landscape, as well as the diverse population of the Gulf region."

Students: Nada Abdo, Ayza Sheikh, Syed Naqvi and Erika Tsuchiya
Course: Ars Electronica Festival 2024
Email: abdont[at]vcu.edu, sheikha[at]vcu.edu, naqvis[at]vcu.edu and tsuchiyae[at]vcu.edu

Unfolding Remembrance: Folding Islamic Principles Into Pondering Machines by Hind Al Saad

"Principles of early Islamic art can be surveyed as a precursor to Western computational art – though produced in different historical and cultural contexts, Islamic art and computational art are connected by underlying structures-arithmetic, harmony and the concept of the infinite.

"Islamic developments in knowledge, like algebra, contributed to mathematics and mechanics – the building blocks of contemporary technology.

"Returning to Islam's traditional harmony between religion and science, my creative practice constructs machines as an act of worship (ʿibadah), folding Islamic principles into the medium of computation, selected verses from the Quran are used as the core of each automaton (self-operating machine).

"Their computational cycles are transformed into mechanical movements, unfolding the meanings of each verse; the body of work presents an alternative perspective on our world's invisible elements, inspiring moments of intentional presence and ponderment."

Student: Hind Al Saad
Course: Ars Electronica Festival 2024
Email: hind.alsaad[at]gmail.com

Wujood by Basma Hamdy, Levi Hammet, Shima Aeinehdar and Selma Fejzullaj

"Wujood is an animated tapestry woven together through a mosaic of electronic components.

"Illuminated by thousands of LED bulbs, the piece serves as a visual ode to the rooted nature of the Arabic language, emulating the fractal intricacies observed in nature – from the smallest seed to the farthest star.

"The piece straddles traditional craft and technology, presenting unfolding words through the rhythmic glow of LED panels; embarking on a linguistic journey, commencing with the trilateral root wajad, unfolding into expressions of 'wujood' (being or existence) and wijdan (awareness or consciousness).

"The Arabic script, often simplified in form to accommodate 20th-century technological constraints, has sometimes lost its spiritual resonance in the process.

"Wujood draws inspiration from the repetitive and mirrored patterns inherent in the universe, inviting viewers to contemplate the essence of their own being in connection with the cosmic order."

Students: Basma Hamdy, Levi Hammet, Shima Aeinehdar and Selma Fejzullaj
Course: Ars Electronica Festival 2024
Email: bwhamdy[at]vcu.edu, ljhammett[at]vcu.edu, fejzullajs[at]vcu.edu and aeinehdarsm[at]vcu.edu

Luminance: A Narrative Lidar Experience by Rogsh Emmanuel H Garcia

"This immersive game invites players to explore the narratives of Filipino culture through the use of lidar technology – using a lidar scanner, viewers can navigate a series of nine intricately designed rooms to uncover scenes from diverse stories of tribes, livelihoods, struggles, traditions, celebrations and journeys of the Filipino people.

"This journey is accompanied by a poetic narrative that weaves the past, present and future of a vibrant Filipino heritage.

"The poem, set to music composed by the designer himself, is a heartfelt journey of discovery relatable to any Filipino living overseas.

"The ambient soundtrack within the room is crafted from nine significant sounds: such as planes taking off, the clang of Balikbayan boxes, phone dial tones, the rustle of Barong Tagalog shirts, the melodic horns of Jeepneys, the strumming of a Bandurria, the gentle jostling of a string of pearls and the thumping beats of bamboo instruments.

"Luminance: A Narrative Lidar Experience is not just a game; it's a journey into the soul of a culture, designed to resonate with anyone who values the stories that shape us."

Student: Rogsh Emmanuel H Garcia
Course: Ars Electronica Festival 2024
Email: garciarh[at]vcu.edu

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.