This article introduces the work “THE PIT” (bottomless hole) by 3D artist Dave Maggio, the finalist of NEWVIEW AWARD 2019.
Virtual space attractions
Rugged rocks surround a mysterious entrance. A sign saying THE PIT (bottomless hole) hangs from the rock surface.
Standing in front of the monitor next to it for a while, the gentleman started talking.
“Welcome to THE PIT! Here are some premium attractions for
the whole family. There are also delicious drinks, souvenirs, and limited edition T-shirts. The Bottomless Pit Master, “Bloopie” loves photography. Hashtag # Take more photos with pitbloopie2019!”
Near the entrance, people in cool caps and “Bloopie” T-shirts hang out. With that behind me, I finally enter the other side of the rock wall.
A pink round protrusion emerges from a pit that you can look into from the center of the square. It’s huge and makes strange movements. There are many people around it. What the hell is it? I will push through the crowds to get a closer look.
The pink round protrusion that was coming in and out of the hole was the head of “Bloopie”.
It has a mysterious face, like a dog without ears, but it welcomes visitors with a smile. Compared to the height of the people around me, the face alone is four times as tall.
As you look up from below the figure is a powerful sight. Bloopie, which is about the height of a 40-story building, swings his head swiftly with a smile and repeated up and down movements. The powerful motions, in contrast to his gentle expression, exude a unique energy and charm.
THE PIT (The Bottomless Pit) is a mysterious attraction that can only be visited in virtual space. No physical transportation such as cars or trains is required. All you need is a smartphone, PC, or VR headset, and you can travel to this moment. Why don’t you visit us once?
How to experience VR scenes
If you are accessing this page from a smartphone, please click on the “Experience the Scene” button (*If you are experiencing the scene on a smartphone for the first time, please also refer to the following instructions).
After clicking, the following screen will be displayed.
If you have already downloaded the STYLY Mobile app, please select “Continue on Browser”.
You can then select “Play on Mobile App” to experience the scene.
If you have an HMD device, click the “Experience the Scene” button from your PC (web browser), then click the VR icon on the scene page.
Download the STYLY Mobile app
Download the Steam version of STYLY app
https://store.steampowered.com/app/693990/STYLYVR_PLATFORM_FOR_ULTRA_EXPERIENCE/
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https://www.oculus.com/experiences/quest/3982198145147898/
For those who want to know more about how to experience the scene
For more information on how to experience VR scenes, please refer to the following article.
![[Summary] How to experience STYLY scenes VR/AR(Mobile) / Web Browser Introduction by step](https://styly.cc/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/スクリーンショット-2020-04-10-12.53.04-160x160.png)
About the artist
Dave Maggio / Maggio Dave (Instagram @davemaggio)
3DCG artist | Japan
homepage: https://davemaggio.com/
A 3DCG artist from New York living in Tokyo and NEWVIEW AWARDS 2019 finalist.
Disappearance of extraordinariness
comment:
“With virtual reality, you can enter a new world. But what kind of world will we eventually create as VR begins to permeate the present age? The world of “THE PIT” is a mysterious attraction at the end of the earth that is both everyday and exotic.”
バーチャルリアリティの世界では、作者の思いのままにあらゆる世界を創造することができます。その世界が、例えば絵画や彫刻、漫画や映画などから創造されるものと明らかに違うのは、それを自分の身体を使って体験できることによる没入感です。
作者のデイヴは問いかけます。“”VRが現代に浸透し始めている中で、結局我々はどういう世界を創り出すのでしょうか？”
それに応えるように、彼は地球の果てにある謎のアトラクションTHE PIT (底なし穴)、日常的でエキゾチックな世界を創造しました。
これはかつてVRメディアが出始めた頃の、もの珍しさからくる実験的なアプローチや、新規性を追求するアプローチのような非日常的な視点とはまた違い、彼は日常的な視点からこの世界に歩み寄り、VRメディア自体の非日常性の消失を問いかけます。
VRデバイスが、スマートフォンのように日常生活に浸透し始めたらどうなるでしょうか。例えば、休日の過ごし方はどのように変わるでしょうか。現実世界でしか体験できなかったことが、バーチャル世界で代替可能になったら、その選択肢は格段に増え、地球の果てにある謎のアトラクションTHE PIT（底なし穴）は、リアルとバーチャルを超えた日常の中に確かに存在するでしょう。
In the realm of virtual reality, not only can you create any world you wish but you can also experience it on an immersive level with your own body, which is clearly different from more traditional art such as paintings, sculptures, cartoons, and movies, etc.
What kind of world will we create in the end as VR is beginning to permeate the present age? “
The mysterious attraction THE PIT (bottomless hole) at the end of the earth was created as an everyday yet exotic world.
This is different from the experimental and novelty-seeking approaches of the early days of VR media, where he approaches the world from an everyday perspective and questions the disappearance of the unusualness of VR media itself.
What if VR devices begin to permeate aspects of everyday life such as smartphones? For example, how will the way we spend our holidays change? If something that could only be experienced in the real world before can now be replicated in the virtual world, our choices will increase dramatically, and the mysterious attraction THE PIT (bottomless hole) at the end of the earth will become an everyday experience that transcends real and virtual.
Creating your own daily life with VR
Suddenly turning my eyes to the roadside, I see tapioca drinks. Has someone been drinking? Just after seeing the main attraction, Bloopie, it makes me feel thirsty and looks really good.
In this way, what you often see in the real world can also be often found in the virtual world, which creates an affinity for this world and brings out a feeling of further immersion. Even in these details, you get a glimpse of the author’s approach of an everyday perspective.
There is a long line in front of the tapioca shop. I don’t see any vending machines, so this may be the only place for hydration. Short sleeves probably mean that this is a warm area.
Symbolic objects are carefully placed and information is kept minimal to stir the visitor’s imagination.
The price is also bullish at 850 yen. The price-setting seems realistic for tourist spots and theme parks.
This scenery along with Bloopie’s movements is reminiscent of geysers that exist in the real world. * Geysers are hot springs that spout hot water or steam regularly or irregularly and are often found in volcanic areas.
The fact that the crowds and natural motifs are not too dissimilar from the original landscape of the real world makes us more immersed in the theme of VR attractions.
The motif of a hole
この世界の中央にある巨大な穴。Bloopieが現れては消えていく不思議な穴。穴がそこにあると、覗いてみたくなるのはバーチャルでも現実世界でも同じでしょう。穴は、それ自体に何とも独特な魅力があります。穴の先には何があるのか、穴に落ちてしまったらどうしよう。穴に対する好奇心とスリルは、自然と人の心拍数を上げます。それは、このアトラクション自身の魅力と密接に関わっているのではないでしょうか。
穴をモチーフにした作品で有名なのは、『マルコヴィッチの穴』（1999、スパイクジョーンズ）。変わった職場に転職した夫がオフィスで見つけた穴が、俳優のジョン・ホレイショ・マルコヴィッチ（実在する俳優）の頭の中と繋がっているというストーリーなのですが、穴というモチーフがとてもミステリアスに、そして奇想天外に描かれています。また、穴それ自身について学問する本『失われたドーナツの穴を求めて』（2017、芝垣亮介、奥田太郎）ではドーナツの穴に関して歴史学、経済学、工学、哲学等様々な学問の観点から穴を考察しています。
人の想像力を無限に掻き乱す、何とも厄介で魅力的なモチーフである穴。Bloopieと穴の関係性や行動は、訪問者の好奇心をくすぐり、不思議な気持ちにさせ、それはまさに最高のアトラクションです。
You’ll want a souvenir
As you explore this world of souvenirs, you’ll find yourself so immersed that you’ll want a souvenir T-shirt. It could be said that the fact that we really went there reflects the current evolutionary era in which virtual space is being expanded into everyday life. Under such circumstances, it is a work that makes us think about how to evolve a new daily life.