The Private Life of Public Transport is a new immersive art installation by Artist David Van Eyssen using virtual and mixed reality along with sound and light to open the door on the life, thoughts and dreams of a number of blind and partially sighted people to everyone. 

The Private Life of Public Transport is on as part of the London Frieze art fair, 11-15 October 2023 at Virtual Ghost, 36 Eastcastle Street, London, time slots from 2-8pm which need to be booked in advanced. 

RNIB Connect Radio’s Toby Davey caught up with David to find out more about where the idea for The Private Life of Public Transport came from, why David wanted to use public transport and the environment of a bus for the starting point of the installation, why he also wanted to invoke blind and partially sighted people within the installation, how the RNIB have helped David with not only finding blind and partially sighted people to be interviewed for the project but also adding tactile elements to this virtual immersive experience. 

David then explained to Toby how the interviews with a number of blind and partially sighted people were used as the basis for the immersive virtual journey that people will go on as they experience The Private Life of Public transport and how the installation or similar experiences could be used in other cities and countries around the world to in a way open the door on the life, thoughts and dreams of other blind and partially sighted people to their local community and the wider public.

To find out more about The Private Life of Public Transport and book your slot to experience this amazing immersive art installation during The London Frieze art fair do visit the following website - https://meetings-eu1.hubspot.com/varjo-demo/frieze-london-5min-art-experience-with-varjo

Image shows an image from The Private Life of Public Transport, a negative black and white image of an Arriva double decker bus against a black background