Martha Hipley

ur cardboard pet, 2015

VR experience for Mobile VR

ur cardboard pet is a satire of femininization of user interfaces. As products of a heteronormative, male-dominated industry, devices are often personified as subservient females (Siri, Alexa, etc.) in no small part because this renders them non-threatening. Additionally, its imagery draws from general themes of identity formation through the lens of fandom culture and nascent sexuality.

ur cardboard pet supposes an alternative to needlessly feminized user interfaces, a non-normative male entity designed to perform emotional labor rather than administrative tasks. your personal pet is a comfort object, offering unconditional nonsexual love and endless compliments. later versions of the project include a personality test to assign your perfect boyfriend from an array of archetypes and an interactive headset that blushes, warms to your touch, and has a heartbeat that accelerates based on the intensity of your grip.

The project makes use of the Google VR SDK, three.js, hand-painted illustrations, and custom hardware. 

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VIDEO LINK

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Martha Hipley is an artist and programmer working in digital and paint, occasionally under the brand everyoneisugly. Her work explores identity formation through the lens of fandom culture and nascent sexuality. In addition to being awarded a Rhizome microgrant for her project “Untitled Twitter Hack,” she is also the second best web surfer in the world.

If you are interested in exhibiting or viewing this artistic VR experience, please send an email to us.

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