INTER/her: An immersive journey inside the female body – Experience reflections

Abstract

INTER/her is an immersive installation and virtual reality artwork highlighting (post)reproductive diseases that women over 30 frequently experience, including endometriosis, fibroids, polyps, ovarian and other cysts and growths, as well as the more serious cervical, ovarian, uterine and endometrial cancers. The artwork presents an abstract, intimate immersive journey within the inner world of women’s bodies, exposing the diseases they can suffer. INTER/her is intended as a personal exploration, conversation starter and community builder. This article discusses the development experience, exhibition and discoveries from INTER/her since its inception to the present. It explores the nature, staging and significance of the piece and what is implicated for future work in this area for art, design and research. It reveals the design process, visual and narrative elements made to represent, convey and understand the emotional and bodily/sensorial experience intended for visitors, as well as the visual metaphors representing the different organs and ailments. It covers the collaborative approach of the design team, using various technologies and the storytelling techniques used in the work during the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, from autumn 2020 to May 2021.