Virtual Reality: Revival Roadshow

Revival Roadshow is a 17-minute virtual reality experience that critiques colonial legacies through the speculative resurrection of 17th-century Dutch explorer Abel Tasman.

Set in a museum of the future, viewers encountera mysterious artwork: Tasman, clutching a Dutch flag, posed triumphantly in a dystopian plastic wasteland. Through gaze-controlled, interactive audio, each viewer experiences a unique narrative, as multiple intertwining storylines unfold.

The work blends surrealism, dark humour, and absurdity to explore myth-making, power, and how history is rewritten over time. Constructed from thousands of digitally collaged images, the richly detailed 360-degree scenes evolve continuously. Archival material, AI-generated content, and pop cultural imagery merge to reflect the layered and contested nature of historical narratives—and the viewer’s role in shaping them.

Rooted in the artists’ Tasmanian and Dutch backgrounds, the work examines how colonial figures are mythologised, appropriated, and reframed across generations. By combining immersive sound, visual excess, and speculative fiction, Revival Roadshow invites viewers to actively engage with the stories they inherit, and to reflect on the power structures they uphold.