Dreaming The Prairie (2023-2026)
interactive installation, single channel video, stereo sound (runs on a computer system or VR headset)
[Vimeo trailer]
[link to download game (free)]

Dreaming The Prairie uses a game engine as a platform for storytelling and story-asking. Located in Illinois, Bell Bowl Prairie—an 8000 year old ecosystem—provided critical habitat for a number of rare and endangered species including the federally protected rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis), and a number of rare prairie plants. A contested expansion of Chicago Rockford International Airport ('owners' of the land) destroyed a large portion of the rare and fragile dry gravel prairie. The game allows the player to explore the beauty of the former prairie through the third-person POV of a rusty patched bumblebee—encountering immersive aspects of the virtual habitat along with texts and sounds—since entry to the prairie is forbidden.

Exhibition history:

SAIC Galleries, Chicago IL, “Faculty Sabbatical Triennial” [25 August-6 December 2025] (v1.5.5)

VGA Project Lab, MANA Contemporary, Chicago IL, [21-31 March 2025], curated by Eleanor Schichtel (v1.5.3)

Silicon Vilstal, Erlebnisfestival 2024, Vilsiburg DE, “Virtuelle Erlebnisse mit VR-Brillen” at Augenoptik Aschenbrenner [21-22 September 2024], curated by Silke Schmidt (v1.5.0)

Festival der Zukunft, Forum der Zukunft, Deutsches Museum, Munich DE, “XR Experiences” [27-29 June 2024], curated by Silke Schmidt (v1.5.0)

University of South Carolina, Columbia SC, “Southern Gauge Screening Series” (IG:) @southerngauge [30 May 2024], live playthrough by Chaz Evans (v1.5.0)

Watershed Art & Ecology, Chicago IL, “Kishwacokee Kinship: Reimagining Relatives” [16 March-13 April 2024] (v1.0.0) [exhibition opening documentation]

XRHUB Bavaria, Munich DE, “Medientage München” [25-27 October 2023], curated by Silke Schmidt (v0.5.0)

This project was partially supported by grants from the Illinois Arts Council (a state agency), the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Northwestern University.

For more information about the project and/or to freely download the current version of the game (v2.0.0 for Windows; macOS version coming late-2026) go to itch.io, localstyle.itch.io/dreaming-the-prairie or click on the title above.

If you want to hear an audio-only piece that we created that is related to Dreaming The Prairie, click on the link to Prairie Dreams.

This project is a collaborative effort developed through multiple iterations; it could not exist without its valuable team members:

Mak Hepler-Gonzalez: Lead Ul/UX Director, Level Designer, VFX/3D/Foliage Artist, Asset Optimization & Workflow Instructor, Concept Development  

Joslyn Willauer: Lead Environment Artist, Foliage Artist, Level Designer, 3D Artist  

Zoë Morgan: 3D Artist, 3D Rigger, Lead Game Rigger & Animator, Interaction Programmer, UX Designer, Lead Quest Technician, Concept Development  

Kathryn Schaffer: Prairie Plant Texts

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Charlotte Guan: Lead Character Artist (creature design & rigging), Phase 1 Project Manager  

Kayla Kim: UX Designer, Quest Technician, Asset Optimization  

Brigid O'Neil: 3D Artist, 3D Rigging, Asset Optimization, Concept Development  

Kayla Taylor: Assistant Producer, Lead 3D Artist, Asset Optimization, Concept Development

•••••••••••••

Michael Swierz: Prairie Research Consultant  

Contributing Artists: Diana Jiang: Project Intern, 3D Artist; Jane Tao: 3D Artist