The Cutting Room (Nottingham Playhouse)

SIGMA 6

Sigma 6 is a computer animation combining virtual reality sequences and live action images. Within the virtual world, suggestions of physical reality appear in reflections (on glass, mirrors and water) causing suspension of disbelief to be momentarily disturbed.

Set in a dystopian world with a stringent class system, Sigma 6 follows, via first person perspective, the main character’s desire to attain a higher classification. She does this by stealing the identity of a dead character, leading to her own downfall.

The overall look and feel of Sigma 6 changes from the polished and carefully orchestrated system that resides above to the gritty underground world below, resulting in a striking composition both visually and emotionally. Sigma 6 is a tale of human betterment and desperation, exploring ideas of escapism and synthetic experiences. Sigma 6 does not convey the feeling of looking at a different world, but rather of looking at a world from within.

Kim Stewart - UKYA
Kim is a Glasgow based artist working in video and animation. Her work involves a combination of animation and digital video footage that is manipulated to produce a kind of moving collage. Stewart uses mixed media to create fictional worlds: as images transform, grow, rotate and then change, a degree of absurdity can be created. Her work references a range of subjects, from contemporary social issues and political systems, to notions of escapism. She is interested in the devices that are commercially available to facilitate escapism, particularly online virtual worlds which enable participants to become lost in fictitious environments.

About the Cutting Room
The Cutting Room is a curatorial organisation initiated by Clare Harris and Jennifer Ross, producing events to engage and inspire new audiences through digital new media, film and performance.