What If?

What if two humans met in an alternative immersive experience?

In Los Angeles, the first human, Camilla, is a single mom of a toddler. After losing her dream job of four years, she is in career limbo and living in her parent’s home. Camilla just completed her third interview at a well-known streaming company. Upon leaving, Camilla detours by the downtown Los Angeles Shared_Portal and makes a reservation to connect to the other side of the world for the first time. 

In Athens, the second human, Phil, works as a software developer to support his passion for music. If he is lucky and time allows, occasionally he performs music on the local islands. Concerned the world is succumbing to the fate of too many “-isms," Phil has a three-month music residency on the island of Lesbos. Riled by recent events against refugees on the island of Lesbos, Phil disembarks the local ferry just a kilometer from the Lesbos Shared_Portal. On his way to rehearsal, he makes a reservation at the Shared_Portal knowing the ten-hour time difference between Lesbos and Los Angeles. A one-on-one, live-streamed, life-sized conversation between these two strangers leads to a song and more sessions once a month between the new friends. You know what they say — music, like hope is universal. 

Three months later, Phil is finishing up his music residency. Camilla is a working mom at that same streaming-service who has just come from the nearby pre-school with her energetic toddler. All three meet at their respective Shared_Portals where she introduces her toddler to new music performed by Phil. Each discusses the upcoming Summer Olympics, amused by the idea of her toddler competing in Baby Olympics, noting how sports unite cultures, which is difficult these days.

One week later, Camilla’s boss mentions that a new office of that same streaming company will open in Athens and that musicians are wanted as consultants in a few days. Her boss learns about the Lesbos Shared_Portal from Camilla, who commented that it is possible to meet musicians easily one on one there. Her boss begins plans to brand and launch several company Shared_Portals to support global music across international cities to interview and to bring immersive experiences cross-culturally. An alternative human immersive experience that takes elements like this one is what we would encourage to foster creativity worldwide and to provide agency through in-person connections. 

Shared_Studios conceived of this global public art initiative in 2014. The initial concept identified two distant cultural hubs to connect as if they were in the same room. By sharing one portal inside two technologically enhanced spaces, participants are immersed and inspired beyond the ordinary while shining a light on humanity. Over the past several years, a paradigm shift in the human condition started to flourish. Shared_Studios, with the assistance of phenomenal global curators, expanded into business environments to engage through one-on-one eye contact and life-size conversations. Today, Shared_Studios creates a variety of spaces including shipping containers, inflatables, rooms, buses, or on large screens. We thank you! 

Shared_Studios is grateful for our global collaborations in 40+ cities, numerous schools, NGOs and progressive businesses and their leaders including NASA, Google, Art Basel Miami, Los Angeles Law Library, and influencers like President Barack Obama, Aloe Blacc, Morgan Spurlock, Josh Bodnar and Ewan MacGregor, who help drive the authentic exchange of ideas and perspectives across global communities — in a way that’s never before been possible. As our network grows, so do the possibilities for connection, our goal is to be in 100 countries by 2022, becoming a fixture across city centers, schools, companies, museums, villages and beyond. Global awareness helps make public art and immersive installations etched in viewers’ cultural memory in the cities they inhabit. 

Shared_Studios Slide Show 

To join the global Shared_Studios community, contact Shared_Studios! Collaborate! 

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