[The pandemic is changing many aspects of life and culture; this opinion piece in Artnet argues that presence-evoking technologies are the key to making significant, needed changes in how we engage with art after the pandemic ends. See the original version for three more pictures. –Matthew] [Image: Cao Fei’s The Eternal Wave (2020). Credit: Still courtesy of the artist and Acute Art.] In the Changed World After Lockdown, We Will Need Smarter New Ways to Interact With Art. I Believe Virtual Reality Is the Answer Acute Art’s artistic director explores how VR might offer an alternative mode of art-making and…

[Zoom and other video conferencing platforms are an invaluable communication tool now more than ever and provide a relatively high level of presence to users, but they are also exhausting. This thoughtful analysis from The Convivial Society examines some of the presence-related and other reasons. For more on this topic see stories from the BBC, Wall Street Journal (by our colleague Jeremy Bailenson; requires subscription), and Fast Company. For an analysis of media alternatives based on bandwidth and immediacy see a post in the IDDblog from the Center for Teaching and Learning at DePaul University.–Matthew] A Theory of Zoom Fatigue…

[The 4:20 minute film in this story from dezeen explores how virtual reality is the latest and most advanced technology for creating social and spatial presence (though the term isn’t used). The original story includes seven different images and the film is also available via YouTube. The video and more images and information are available on the Space Popular website. –Matthew] Swapping video calls for VR will change our homes forever says Space Popular Amy Frearson 20 April 2020 This movie [available in the original story] by Space Popular explores how virtual reality could become as widespread as the video…

[The pandemic has led to an increase in informal, intimate mediated concerts likely to evoke multiple forms of presence, as reported in this story from VOX (where the original includes nine video examples). See in particular the material following the added heading “[Presence-evoking characteristics of live streamed concerts]” and the last two short paragraphs. For another vivid example, see the recording of a Facebook Live living room concert by Eileen Jewel that I “attended” recently. For more information see NPR’s updated list of future concerts and CNBC’s coverage that focuses on “the future of the livestreamed concert beyond coronavirus.”…

[CNN is one of several press outlets reporting on an animal sanctuary’s clever way of entertaining and educating as they connect people with farm animals via Zoom (I seriously considered booking a “Goat-2-Meeting” for our next department meeting but they’re booked until June). Business Insider’s coverage adds that “Goat 2 Meeting is just one example of the innovative projects and offerings that have popped up in recent weeks to bring people together virtually.” and KQED adds “’There is a strong need for people to really get out, even through this vicarious video screen,’ said Sweet Farm co-founder Nate Salpeter.”…

[Warning: Adult content. Sexuality is a common but under studied and discussed application area for presence. As this concise and link-filled story from The Conversation states, in the current global situation “digital technology has never been so central to human sexual and intimate connection.” See the original story for a different image. –Matthew] [Image: Source: Cosmopolitan] Online sex parties and virtual reality porn: Can sex in isolation be as fulfilling as real life? April 16, 2020 Jennifer Power, Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University Andrea Waling, ARC DECRA Research fellow,…