The Anticipation of Rain

Bangladeshi artist Naima Karim was paralyzed by a virus and for a year could do nothing but look at the sky. She then experienced the monsoon even more intensely than usual: the initial gusts of wind, the rapidly darkening sky, the oppressive humidity and finally the downpour of rain, which washes everything clean and leaves behind a fresh scent.

For the three-dimensional VR experience The Anticipation of Rain, Karim painted a landscape along a boundary of coastal forest and beach, where this meteorological spectacle takes place at an accelerated pace. A rich sound design and two specially designed scents complete the experience.

Karim describes the arrival of the monsoon as a romantic time of year, but also notes that climate change has made the rainy season increasingly unpredictable and extreme. For low-lying countries such as her homeland of Bangladesh, it can be life-threatening.