Mercedes VR
Embark on the story of Mercedes Viñales, the grandmother of artist Flako Jimenez, whose immigration journey to America and descent into dementia presents a powerful story of caregiving, love, loss, and resilience.
The VR experience––one part of an expansive multi-format work––immerses its viewer in a multisensory medium with a poetic, visually stunning recreation of Mercedes’ Bushwick home. Mercedes VR unlocks the capacity of this technology to amplify community outreach, spread the word about mental healthcare resources for those struggling with similar circumstances, and captivate all audiences with a poignant story of matriarchal influence and multigenerational care.
Credits
Writer & Creator Flako Jimenez
Director Kevin Torres
3D Designer & VR Creator Ker Chen
VR Consultant Matt McCorkle
Scientific Advisor Dr. Nicola S. Clayton
Tech & Materials World-building and VR programming in Unreal Game Engine,
3D scans in MatterPort and PolyCam, Volumetric Video Capture in Evercoas
Additional support for Mercedes, Episode 1, provided by BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music)
In April 2023, the first showcase of this VR experience project was at the ONX studio in collaboration with MEDIA ART XPLORATION..
In November 2023, this project is a part of the MAXLIVE 2023 festival and presented first time for the audience.
In December 2023, the project conducted workshop at Princeton University Studio Lab.
