Scarecrow Rekindle explores how active participation and connection can liberate creative spirits oppressed by forces of despair, rekindling collective hope and agency. In the spirit of Art—Technology—Society, it integrates immersive VR and metaverse technologies (Technology) with cooperative storytelling (Art) to foster empowerment and collective liberation (Society). In direct response to the festival’s theme PANIC – yes/no, Scarecrow Rekindle presents a burnt-out world where oppressive firebirds have stolen the villagers’ hearts, crucifying hope and creativity. Rather than succumbing to despair, the experience highlights that collaborative intervention and shared hope can overcome imposed suffering and oppression.
Audiences step into a multiplayer metaverse performance in VRChat, encountering a lone scarecrow as a symbolic figure resisting oppressive forces. Through interactive puzzles, timed events, and collective rituals, participants co-create moments of joy, free the scarecrow, and restore vitality to the village. The project symbolizes the democratization of creativity and collective resistance against systemic constraints, urging VR/XR users to reclaim agency in the face of cultural and socio-political oppression.
