Barriers is a virtual reality project that explores the subject of migration. In this project, I collaborated with a group to build an immersive reality vision that they felt accurately depicted the challenges that migrants experience. We used the tools Maya and Unity, and our only restriction was that we could only utilize typography. When migrants travel to another country, the language barrier is frequently the first obstacle they face. Migrants must learn how to navigate a new country, earn a living, and purchase their basic needs without having anybody to teach them. All of these situations necessitate communicating in a foreign language. Using Tagalog and English, “Barriers” simulates the way a migrant faces the challenge of being in a new place without knowing the language.
Since they start, as when a migrant arrives to a new country, they face large crowds and individuals bombarding them with questions. “Barriers” takes the viewer through the stages of arriving in a new country, from not understanding anything to slowly learning a new language to understanding and feeling welcome. Gradually, they can start translating certain phrases, just as a migrant would slowly pick up certain phrases. As they pass obstacles, just like a migrant who faces obstacle after obstacle, they get closer to the end goal: learning the new language. When they finish, they are able to understand everything they see, and they finally feel welcome.
The viewer is immediately thrust into an unknown environment surrounded by a “crowd” and bomarded with unknown and nearly unintelligible words.
While overcoming obstacles to get through the words, the viewer can start translating certain words to English.
When they overcome these obstacles, they are greeted with a Welcome, much like migrants finally feel welcome when they understand the new language.
The viewer finishes in a calm environment surrounded by welcoming phrases and colors.
