Immersive Arts and Health Experience Soul Paint wins SXSW
Hatsumi and Monobanda’s innovative extended reality project, Soul Paint, has been awarded the prestigious 2024 SXSW XR Experience Competition Special Jury Award. This groundbreaking project, narrated by Rosario Dawson, transcends traditional artistic boundaries by merging immersive technology with the exploration of human emotions and wellness.
Soul Paint represents a convergence of art, technology, and wellbeing, offering participants a transformative journey into the depths of their emotional landscape. Through the medium of extended reality (XR), audiences are invited to engage in a unique exploration of their inner reality, creatively expressing emotions and sensations through 3D drawing and movement, inspired by arts and health research method, bodymapping.
Sarah Ticho, the visionary behind Soul Paint, drew inspiration from her personal experiences with grief and mental health challenges. Soul Paint aims dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health discussions and foster impactful dialogues through sharing embodied experiences through immersive storytelling.
The project’s success at SXSW reflects its profound impact on audiences and the industry. According to Sarah Ticho, “Words cannot express how overjoyed we are to have been presented with this award.” Soul Paint’s debut at SXSW marks a significant milestone in its journey, with plans for further expansion and innovation on the horizon. Soul Paint serves as a vital bridge towards reconnection, encouraging participants to rediscover their humanity and shared lived experience amidst the frenetic pace of modern life. Through Soul Paint, individuals can navigate complex emotions and experiences beyond the limitations of words—an endeavour that resonates deeply with audiences seeking authentic connections and understanding.
Activist and actor, Rosario Dawson’s involvement further highlights the project’s significance as an innovative work of art and wellness. She was the judge on the Unity for Humanity program that the project won in 2022, and the team approached her to become the voice of the piece. Her warm and caring narration, guides participants through a profound examination of their individual experience, encouraging them to acknowledge and accept their feelings without judgment, before encountering the artworks of others who have gone through the piece.
One participant, Sarah Hill said: I found Soul Paint to be extremely moving on a personal level. My mother-in-law recently died, and I had held onto that memory of losing her. In the Soulpaint experience, there is a moment where you step inside yourself and embody your feelings, soak them up, and then shake your arms and legs to shake them off. Seeing all of that grief that I had been holding on to for the last few months and then seeing it fall off my body and fall to the floor was a powerful metaphor for healing for me. For anyone who’s lost a loved one, I’d highly recommend they go do Soul Paint. I had tears streaming down my face afterward. I didn’t realise what I had been holding onto and how those feelings did not serve me.
Soul Paint’s recognition at SXSW heralds a new era of artistic innovation with tangible benefits for mental health and wellness. As technology continues to intersect with healthcare and artistic expression, projects like Soul Paint pave the way for meaningful dialogues and transformative experiences.