Byron Reeves - fbFund REV, 7/31/09 - Part 1 of 2 (Version 2), “Work Sucks - Games are great” from fbFund REV on Vimeo.

I particularly liked the diagram of the Inside-Out Process, where internal projects of a company are moved outside the company walls to the most sensible strategic destination. I think this diagram aids in understanding how OOM CREATIVE connects with a client’s project. We advance research and development through the design and development of digital environments ranging from information visualisations through to virtual environments. The expertise and skills of digital environments aren’t necessarily core to a company business, but when engaged, can be an important part in the communication, understanding and development of an innovation strategy.

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(Image source: HBR Dec 2008, How Open Innovation Can Help You Cope in Lean Times, p71)

OOM Creative is all go in 2010 and working with a range of great clients on innovative projects: from data visulisations to virtual environments. 2010 brings the launch of the ACVA Lab workshop in February and a major event on Portrait Island in March. Above is a snapshot some of OOM Creative’s recent project work.

Over 200 people came to the National Portrait Gallery for the launch party of the Doppelgänger exhibition. Portrait Island is now live! If you’ve visited Portrait Island, we’d loved hear your feedback about the project via the comments sectrion below, or use the official ‘feedback’ survey accessible on the Island.

If you haven’t tried Second Life, it’s an easy to install and runs on most computer systems. Visit the project in Second Life, here is the SLURL, or the Doppelgänger Website

We have also produced a series of short films about each art work that are viewable on the National Portrait Gallery YouTube Site

Articles:
http://www.metaversejournal.com/2010/01/21/national-portrait-gallery-in-second-life/

Australian Design Review

IMAGES: View of Portrait Island - foreground Autoscopia by Adam Nash, Chris Dodds, Justin Clemens | Installation for Cao Fei’s iMirror films | Detail of Portrait Island forum space

Official NPG Doppelganger Website
Previous OOM CREATIVE blog entry

I put forward a question via the online chat room asking about the metrics of quality for gaming in these situations since it is such a subjective medium. Beth gave a great answer about how success is not always about numbers of people engaging, but creating new opportunities for people to engage in the ways in which they want to engage.

In a preface to her answer Beth quite unexpectedly complimented my design work and the projects I run with students at RMIT University, and also said it is “… interesting and imaginative work on rethinking the use of public spaces …”. I met Beth a few years back at the New York Law School and it’s great to see her knowledge and interest in this area define the innovative use of digital media to address government initiatives.

Links:
Play via YouTube
Skip to the Q&A Section at 45mins

The Australia Centre of Virtual Art Lab (ACVA LAB) is a forward thinking initiative to promote the pioneering work of Australian artists using virtual world platforms. ACVA LAB will advance the development of artistic networks, prototypes and exchange with its central questions: “What could a virtual art lab be if it was imagined by artists for artists?”

The project team comprises of Chris Dodds Icon.Inc, Adam Nash and Greg More OOM Creative - three of Australia’s most recognised virtual art and architecture experts. http://www.acva.net.au/

Official Press Release: Press Release 14th July 2009 [PDF]

Please check back soon for more information.

OOM Creative is excited to be working with the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, on a forthcoming exhibition Doppelgänger. Curated by Gillian Raymond the exhibition will feature international and national artists working in Second Life who have been commissioned to address the themes of identity, self, and new interpretations of portraiture in a virtual environment.

OOM Creative is designing the overall exhibition environment including landscaping and architecture and are looking forward to working with the artists while they are residents in the months leading to the exhibition opening in October 2009. The project will develop in three design phases allowing the nature of the exhibition and its context to develop organically over time. More to come as this project develops. The imagery above shows the design at the end of phase one, and below, the artists on the island. More details and imagery to come as the project develops.

It was great to chat with Nick from Extralab at the Orange Island Education Days. This event was simultaneously broadcast through Mogulus as a live video stream allowing for a greater audience, and it has now been broken up into easier to consume segments. Here is the link to the broadcasts: Educational Days - Day 2

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