Southern Jê Immersive Exhibition. MediacityUK, 16 - 20 October 2023

Hiriart, Juan; Ulguim; F., Priscilla; Bowman, Nathan; Mckinley, Roger; Watts, Glenn; Joseph, John Benjamin; Orton, Jake; Middleton, Tamsin; Manfredi, Matteo; Fowler, Joseph

Abstract

This exhibition presented an experimental exploration of immersive technologies to convey the archaeology and lived experiences of a Southern Jê village in the Brazilian highlands. Dating back to the first century B.C., these communities occupied a vast and ecologically diverse territory that extended longitudinally from the Atlantic coast to the Paraná River. Based on archaeological and ethnographic research, the installation combined virtual reconstruction, spatial storytelling, and interactive design to transport visitors into the built environment, rhythms, and relationships of a Pre-Columbian Amerindian community.

The project was a collaboration with Dr. Priscilla Ulguim from Vrije Universiteit Brussel and involved partnerships with archaeologists, researchers, and Indigenous educators from institutions such as Museu Paranaense, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, and Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia da Universidade de São Paulo.

Held at Salford’s MediaCityUK Development Lab from October 16 to 20, the exhibition utilised game engine technologies, digital displays, projection mapping, and Microsoft HoloLens interactive holograms to vividly recreate the environment. This blended-space approach allowed audiences to dynamically engage with both the physical and cultural landscapes of the Sitio dos Albinos archaeological site.

The project aimed to investigate how immersive systems can create a sense of place through a virtual reconstruction built from archaeological and ethnographic data. The environment was developed using the Unity game engine and projected onto the 360-degree circular walls of MediaCity’s Dev Lab with four projectors, seamlessly integrated through ISADORA projection mapping software. An interactive screen at the centre of the room enabled visitors to change their spatial location by manipulating a campfire marker. They could also interact with artefacts and objects that represented the Southern Jê's everyday life through Microsoft HoloLens.

While participants were in the room, the lighting was procedurally adjusted to reflect day and night cycles, enhancing the overall experience with changes in light and sound. By combining these techniques and technologies, the exhibition acted as a living experiment in how digital media can effectively convey a sense of place and presence beyond conventional forms of heritage representation.

• Online Publication Date: May 23, 2025
• Publication Date: May 23, 2025
• Deposit Date: May 23, 2025
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.17866/rd.salford.28847513
• Collection Date: Oct 16, 2023