Waterloo alumnus Vikas Gupta (BSc '91) is the co-founder and CEO of AVARA, whose immersive virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences are part of three unprecedented AR experiences as part of the acclaimed Anthropocene exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ontario and the National Gallery of Canada. The Anthropocene exhibition is a collaboration between film-makers Jennifer Baichwal, Nicholas de Pencier, and Edward Burtynsky, one of the world’s most accomplished contemporary photographers. Together their stunning work depicts global industrial landscapes and humanity’s impact on the environment.
How did the collaboration with Edward Burtynsky come about?
I was deeply inspired by Edward’s work and was compelled by the narratives embedded in his images relating to humankind’s impact on the planet. But that narrative needed to be disseminated more broadly to a global audience. Given my background in technology and electronic entertainment, and my expertise in building global audiences, we decided to co-found AVARA Media together to create high-end augmented reality and virtual reality experiences that interactively connect people to the critical stories about how we, as a species, now influence the planet more than all other natural forces combined.
What inspired you to use your technical expertise for education?
I’ve enjoyed a fantastic career as the CEO of some notable electronic entertainment companies and have had the unique privilege of being part of many of the biggest entertainment franchises in the world. However, one day I awoke with a feeling of emptiness and contemplated what my legacy was going to be. This feeling consumed me for quite a while to the point where I started making career changes.
Why is this exhibit needed now?
We have reached a crisis in our planetary history. In many ways, those residing in first-world countries don’t even realize how dire this situation is and, if they do have an understanding of the current state of the world, they often feel helpless about what they can do to make meaningful change.
