That the metaverse is a mystery that does not finish taking flight is a truth that runs into stubborn reality, determined to
metaverse
itself .
That is to say: in the same way that the collapse of FTX calls into question aspects of cryptocurrencies, but does not challenge the enormous possibilities that blockchain
technology opens up
, the clumsy takeoff of the metaverse sponsored by Mark Zuckerberg does not hinder experimentation with 3D technology, which is called to be one of the great innovations of the coming years.
And these days two good examples of this overlap in time.
The first is
You Destroy.
We create.
The war on Ukraine's culture
, a VR for Good project (the part of Meta that promotes immersive storytelling focused on social impact) that combines 360° videos, photogrammetry (an amazing concept that will surely provide for future columns), aerial filming of drones, and 3D animations to move us to a small but important part of the Ukrainian conflict: the preservation of art, and the lives of artists, during the Russian invasion.
In the sound part, in
You Destroy
the testimonials of artists are mixed with the alarm sirens, with the screams and the scares, with the hurried runs every time an explosion is heard.
In the formal part, the remains of destroyed streets are mixed with new street paintings, with new theatrical performances on destroyed stages and with the virtual reconstruction of buildings that were and are no longer there.
The award-winning project, from Berlin-based NowHere Media, is available from the meta website and is highly recommended to anyone with access to a virtual reality headset.
The 'You destroy.
We create' during filming.
The second initiative is closer.
The Nebrija (c. 1444-1522), the pride of being a grammarian
exhibition
, which can be seen at the National Library until the end of February, is dedicated to our first grammarian (whose death marks five centuries) and, in addition to showing incunabula, dictionaries and manuscripts that astonish both for their state of conservation and for their historical importance when it comes to establishing grammar, hides a final surprise.
The show includes a virtual reality video that fully introduces us to Nebrija's grammar adventure.
This video, created by Onirica VR, is more modest than the one in VR for Good (it only lasts about five minutes) but has the virtue of briskly showing two events that mysteriously (or not) overlapped in time: the construction of the Nebrija's grammar and Columbus's trip to America, of whose commissions at the hands of the Catholic Kings we became witnesses through virtual reality.
The trip to the supposed Indies ended up being something very different from what was intended.
Something similar can happen with this immersive technology: maybe the metaverse will end up being just what Zuckerberg preaches, or maybe not, but what is certain is the impact that virtual reality and three-dimensional experiences will end up having for years to come.
Because, in addition to modifying leisure and work, this tool is used for something else: getting closer to others and preserving important things sculpted over time.
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