2019 - 2021
trailer by Artificial Rome, approx. 15 min.
virtual reality experience
stereo sound

Michelle-Marie Letelier
The Bone VR

Photo by Oddbjørn Erland Aarstad

Photo by Daniela Arrriado

The Bone is an interactive VR experience inside the skull of a wild salmon, where certain elements and narrations are to be discovered. These narrations address ethical and ecological issues related to salmon farming, domestication and coexistence with this species, from a non-anthropocentric, eco-philosophical and indigenous perspective.

Located inside an intermediate world–between deep sea and universe; between present, future or past; between reality, dream or utopia–this skull is a sculptural/architectural construction. The experiencer discovers two otoliths that grow interactively, revealing details about this salmon’s life in the past, as well as reflections towards its cousins: the captive salmons. These reflections are presented as a voice-over from the wild salmon’s perspective; the owner of the skull, in a way of the salmon’s poetic flow of consciousness. The real and virtual space is welcomed by a Yoik sung by Sámi artist Ánde Somby, providing a unique echo and spatiality to this VR, which is physically installed inside an old fishing boat. The materiality of the real old wood sensually echoes the virtual skull, inviting the experiencers to a journey that departs from their position as fisher species, towards the poiseis of the fish’ life.

The Bone was commissioned in 2019 by Screen City Biennial (SCB), Ecologies – lost, found and continued, presented in Stavanger, Norway.

Concept: Michelle-Marie Letelier
Production: Art Republic and Interactive Media Foundation/Ocean21, co-created with Artificial Rome
Executive Producers: Diana Schniedermeier and Daniela Arriado
Creative directors: Ina Krüger, Dirk Hoffmann
Script: Michelle-Marie Letelier & Martin Lee-Mueller
Salmon’s character voice: Martin Lee-Mueller
Yoik singer: Ánde Somby
Sound design: Christian Barth
Skull: UiB – University of Bergen Natural History Museum
Scanning: Fredrik M. Salhus, Bergen Academy of Art and Design, UiB; courtesy of Lars Ove Toft, BEK – Bergen Centre for Electronic Arts
Scientific advice: Professors Anne Karin Hufthammer, Arild Folkvord, Karin Limburg, Karin Pittman & Johnny Magnussen
Research advice: Prof. Harald Gaski, Ánde Somby, Sápmi Center for Contemporary Art, Karolin Tampere and Daniela Arriado.

Images: exhibited at Fiskepiren Ferry Terminal in the frame of Screen City Biennial 2019, Stavanger, Norway

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The Bone has been developed to a 2.0 version and translated to German and Spanish. Since 2022, it has been touring through Norway, Chile, Germany and Canada in collaboration with The Martin Gusinde Anthropological Museum, Goethe Institute, Nordnorsk Kunstnersenter, Ocean21, THEGallery, Sami Center for Contemporary Art and Or Gallery.

The Bone has been funded by Fondos Cultura Convocatoria 2020 – Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Chile, Goethe Institut Norway and Chile – and the Arts Council Norway.

Art Republic

Projects
The Bone VR
Son.AR
Screen City Biennial 2019
Screen City Biennial 2017
Screen City Biennial 2015

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About
Art Republic is a platform dedicated to art, technology and sustainability. The platform explores the relation between image, sound and architecture – seeking to expand the borders of the cinematic experience. Art Republic curates and commissions moving images, sound art, and interactive and immersive site-specific art installations.