Cosmos within us

This story draws us inside the mind of Aiken, a 60-year-old man desperately trying to hold on to his childhood memories. Aiken suffers from Alzheimer’s – and his struggle is one against a dwindling mind, against time, against final loss.

Cosmos Within Us is a unique technological story-telling experiment which blurs the boundaries between VR and performance. Through a combination of state-of-the-art tech, immersive soundscapes, scent and touch, the piece explores the intricate connection between memory and the senses.

As Aiken wanders through the spaces of his past, they shape-shift as if in a state of constant re-construction inside his fragmented brain. He re-lives time spent during summer holidays with his beloved little sister, Lily, and meaningful family moments – but those fond memories feel tainted. There is something at the very back of his consciousness, concealed in oblivion, waiting to be re-lived and re-felt. This is the one memory he’s trying to forget.

Alzheimer’s does not discriminate. This piece was created to deliver a sense of hope and understanding to anyone affected by this very common and devastating disease. With advancements in VR, we strive to remember the forgotten. After all, Memory is all We Are.