Abstract

The giant eyeball, Oculus, provides space for interacting with the biological nature within the iris, inner chamber, and retina of the eye. Our eyes, the brain outside of the brain, are paramount for animal survival, communication, and existential/creative exploration. This organ captures light which the brain transforms into complex imagery. This process further informs our navigation, memories, and creative imagination. The duality of the eye as both window and veil makes Oculus a unique component of our sensory experience. Each visitor is invited to project their unique iris onto this structure and to physically visit their eye from the inside, allowing them to zoom into a visualization of themselves and their peers. As in a psychedelic experience, you can self-reflect and interact with others through an apparent, yet very intimate sensory abundant window. The changing macroscopic iris patterns and colors are directly analogous of visual hallucinations during psychedelic experiences, and the scanning and dilating pupil mimicks the biological altered state. Bringing attention to details of the eye’s microcosm aims to inform us of its biology and to encourage us to feel our senses more vividly