The future of XR: new forms of sentience

Spoken word poetess, performer, new media and immersive experience researcher with a doctorate in humanities. For many years, active animator of the Polish VJ scene and organiser of grassroot initiatives and new media exhibitions (“Share Warsaw”, “Share Poland”, “BYOB Warszawa”, “PolishVJing”). Collaborates i.a. with musicians, visual artists and dancers. Combines artistic research and academic research in scientific and art work. Exploring culture of immersion and immersive experiences since 2010. Director and screenwriter for “VR Noccc / VR Nightsss”; executive producer (vnLab/Łódź Film School, 2019). In the years 2014-2016, researcher in the project “+-mózg. Kognitywny obraz tańca” (+/-brain. Cognitive image of dance) – transdisciplinary research of dance perception (SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities grant). Defended a doctoral thesis on “Immersive Experience in Performative art Practices”. Most recently, as part of an art residency project in Prague, explored the artistic use of 360° technologies in poetic performance (International Visegrad Fund, Bazaar Festival/Cross Attic).

The “VR Noccc / VR Nightsss” project was based on her spoken word poem – translated into 13 languages, presented in over 20 countries on 3 continents. It was read i.a. during “The Liberated Voice – Sound Poetry” exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris (2019), presenting leading phenomena and works in sound poetry of the 20^th and 21^st century.

Focuses on digital storytelling in performance art and social media contexts. Explores socially involved VR, immersive journalism, and the use and development of VR/AR/XR in live performance art (including dance and poetry) and other real-time activities.

Holds spoken word, creative writing, literary performance and digital storytelling workshops. Lecturer at the SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities (since 2014) and School of Forms (since 2020) in Warsaw. Guest lecturer and workshop trainer at i.a. Performance Art Studies/Kunsthøgskolen in Oslo, Manchester Metropolitan University, School of Forms in Warsaw, and Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Published in Czas Kultury, Kultura Popularna, Dwutygodnik and Ha!Art magazines.

Na brzegu zanurzenia (On the Threshold of Immersion), Dwutygodnik: https://www.dwutygodnik.com/artykul/5271-na-brzegu-zanurzenia.html
“VR Noccc/Nightsss”, trailer: https://vimeo.com/424299323
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/weronika-lewandowska-07b617113/
SpokenWord Noccc (Nightsss): https://vimeo.com/34963162
Project AV plan.kton: https://vimeo.com/34472863

Founder of mimo.ooo, a team with a focus on creating, producing and distributing XR/AI formats. European VR pioneer. Explores the automation of creative processes with intent to develop AI algorithm tools automatically generating individualised content for individual users, and their projection in XR format.

Delivered speeches and lectures on the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the XR/AI/5G market and XR-related narratives during festivals and presentations in Warsaw, Vienna, London, Paris, Brussels, Katowice, Tallinn, Poznań, Gdynia, Cracow, Yokohama, Kyoto, Osaka, Oslo and New York.

Active on the market as a content producer since 2000. Short films and commercials he produced won over twenty awards at Polish and international festivals, including the most important one. Since 2015, has been focusing on immersive technologies and artificial intelligence while experimenting, producing content, and building 360 degree cameras and XR distribution platforms. Joined forces with the Polish Multikino multiplex chain in 2017 to launch a VR cinema chain: the MultikinoVR by mimo.ooo. In 2019, launched VRCity by mimo.ooo (a VR zone at the M1 shopping centre in Warsaw) together with Metro Properties.

Chief creative productions:

▪ CVR Woman at the End of the World, 20′, directed by Maciej Piotrowski, produced by mimo.ooo, co-producers: TVN, Discovery VR, August 2019, distribution in VR cinemas: MultikinoVR Warsaw, Poznań, Szczecin, Łódź, VRcity Marki, as producer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cos-gjCXMaY&feature=youtu.be
▪ CVR G.E.N, VR, 90′ directed by Grzegorz Jarzyna, co-producers: Adam Mickiewicz Institute, TR Warsaw, mimo.ooo, March 2017-2018, distributed at festivals, as producer: http://trwarszawa.pl/projekty/wydarzenie/n/gen-vr/

▪ CVR series Para nie do pary (Mismatched Match), 5 × 5′, episodes 1-5 , produced by mimo.ooo, co-producer: TVN/player.pl, premiered in November 2016-2017, distributed by player.pl, VOD platform, as producer: https://player.pl/seriale-online/para-nie-do-pary-odcinki,4744/odcinek-1,S01E01,66280
▪ interactive VR app Sorcerum, distributed by Steam VR, 2018
▪ interactive VR app Be a Bee, distributed by Oculus Rift, 2018
▪ interactive VR app Dark City, distributed by Oculus Rift, 2017 
▪ interactive VR app Horse Riding Jumping Master, distributed by Samsung Gear VR, 2016
▪ short film Mały palec (Pinky), directed by Tomasz Cichoń, 30′, 2014, as producer: https://ninateka.pl/film/maly-palec-tomasz-cichon
▪ short film Przedtem, potem (Before, After), directed by Edyta Sewruk, 30′, 2013, as producer: https://ninateka.pl/film/przedtem-potem-edyta-sewruk
▪ short animated film Świteź, directed by Kamil Polak, 3D animation, 20′, premiered in 2011 at the 61^st Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), as producer: https://vimeo.com/20013168
▪ short animated film Peter and the Wolf, directed by Suzie Templeton, as post-production manager: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDs-VbbDfzQ 

An interdisciplinary artist, director and camera operator. He works in video, interactive film, audiovisual narrative, film theory, graphic narrative structures, immersion activities and art-and-science projects. The scope of his search is wide, and his artistic strategy is based on exploring and going beyond the boundaries of the medium he currently works with. A holder of post-doctoral degree, he works at his alma mater as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Media Art; head of degree Studio of 3D and Virtual Occurrences. The scope of his search is wide, and his artistic strategy is based on exploring and going beyond the boundaries of the medium he currently works with. A holder of post-doctoral degree, he works at his alma mater as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Media Art; head of degree Studio of 3D and Virtual Occurrences.