Augmented and virtual reality will soon impact every aspect of our lives just like the internet and cellphones have done.  These raku sculptures are part of a massive timeline of over 70 sculptures which trace the development of this technology over the last 50 years.

The history of the technology is full of false starts and failures, passion and brilliant ideas. 

Ironically, these high tech sculptural prototypes are fired using an ancient technique developed in the 1500’s in Japan called raku.  The drastic firing process was reinvented in the US in the 1960’s at the same time as the first VR headset came into being.

COLLECTION
Portions of the sculptural timeline can be seen on permanent display at Delta JFK Airport – T2 Sky Lounge – NYC, NY and at The Tech Museum in San Jose, CA.

Zenka first displayed her VR heads at the District Gallery in Los Angeles in March 2015. The exhibit, called “Presence” included over 30 headsets.

SHOP VR HEADS

If you had a futuristic remote control which could do anything at all, what buttons would you want?

This is the central question behind Zenka’s social experiment. Ceramic remote control sculptures represent the desires collected from over 100 participants. An augmented reality phone app, reveals the the future we wish for.

Will a computer algorithm or inner wisdom define what we desire? What do we want? What do you want?

Is exponential technology powerful enough to change the paradigm of what is possible?

With exponential change upon us, it seems we will have to learn a new language! We are adding new words and new concepts to our world. 

This project aims to reduce fear, and increase knowledge about the concepts shaping the future by cementing these the words right into the streets of the world.  We have mounted words from Spain to Antartica, from Florida to San Francisco.  Watch the map and join along on Instagram. #wordsofthefuture

You can also add a word to our list or create your own art for the streets. 

Jan 9th - Charlie Fink's Metaverse Ft. Zenka Afterward Book Release at CES | LV

Zenka has been using augmented reality overlays in her prints, installations, sculptures and street art since 2012.