Joel Benson Brings Demas Nwoko’s Legacy to Life in New VR Documentary
At the just concluded ART X Festival, award-winning virtual reality documentary filmmaker Joel Benson screened his latest efforts, ‘The Realities of Demas’.
Based on the works of renowned Nigerian artist and architect Demas Nwoko, the seven-minute long film explores two of the architect’s most iconic works, which are located in Ibadan - the New Culture Studio and the Dominican Chapel. Through the film, viewers are taken on a virtual tour of Demas’ New Culture Studio, a sprawling building that is situated on a hill close to the University of Ibadan, and was built in the late 70s. The studio boasts an amphitheater space, which was inspired by the Greek Coliseums, and offers thespians a rehearsal ground for their theatrical productions.
Inside the Dominican Chapel, viewers are immersed in this unique space that was designed with a fusion of Catholicism and African culture. The soundtrack to this scene is the near-hypnotic chant of the monks, who surround the viewer, while they make their evening supplications.
Most of Demas Nwoko’s designs incorporate modern techniques while still reflecting the African roots. For instance, there are buildings that he built with local materials such as clay and laterite.
Like an architecture student from the University of Lagos Orinayo Odubawo rightly observed, it is an immersive experience that captures the work of the artist in a new dimension.
“I have read about the New Culture Studio a lot. I went to Ibadan last year because I was designing something similar but I didn’t have the opportunity to visit it. But watching this in VR is a whole new experience. I danced when I started watching it and people around thought I was crazy but they didn’t understand,”she said excitedly.
“I felt I was inside the space. There was a rehearsal going on and I felt I was part of it.