We are pleased to introduce Virtual Realisms, a monthly series of public lectures taking place throughout the 2024-25 academic year at the University of Westminster. 

The series critically investigates the evolving forms of reality created through algorithmic worldbuilding, where advanced digital technologies give rise to new and diverse interpretations of what is considered ‘real.’ Spanning both technical and speculative practices, the lectures will explore how real-time virtual environments, and the technologies that underpin them, are redefining the logics of cultural production, creativity, and power in our increasingly rendered world. 

The series is curated by Tadej Vindis, Lecturer in Creative Technologies, and Teodora Sinziana Alata, Lecturer in Creative Computing and Algorithmic Cultures, at the University of Westminster.

Our first event will take place on 14 November, 6–8 pm, at the Emerging Media Space (EMS), Harrow Campus.

Pete Jiadong Qiang: Internal Alchemy Through Gaming Technologies 

Pete Jiadong Qiang will present two of his recent works, the VR game HyperBody and the visual novel Project Search, both of which emerge from his auto-ethnographic creative process. Through an interdisciplinary approach, shaped by his background in architecture, game design, virtual reality, and neurotechnology, Qiang explores the concept of “internal alchemy,” offering a glimpse into the innovative intersection of these fields and inviting reflection on the possibilities of merging art and technology in new forms of expression. 

Qiang is an artist and a Turing Research Assistant at the Institute for the Augmented Human, the University of Bath. He graduated from the Architectural Association (AA) and completed his PhD at Goldsmiths, University of London. 

Both HyperBody and Project Search will be exhibited at the Emerging Media Space from 4 pm onwards, and attendees are encouraged to experience these works live before the talk. 

The event is free and open to all, but registration is required. Please register to attend here.

For further information about the lecture series and other upcoming lectures, please visit www.virtualrealisms.com.