The Invisible Body

Redefining the Embodiment Through Immersive Journalism in After Solitary VR

Abstract

This paper explores how After Solitary, an immersive VR documentary by Cassandra Herrman and Lauren Mucciolo, challenges traditional notions of embodiment by placing viewers in a virtual prison environment without a visible body. Through the framework of immersive journalism, the study examines how the VR experience fosters a sense of presence despite the user’s corporeal invisibility. The documentary reconstructs the solitary confinement experience of Kenny Moore by shifting between both first-person and third-person perspectives, evoking empathy and facilitating identity reconstruction. The analysis underlines the role of proprioception, auditory-visual immersion, and emotional responses in constructing embodiment beyond physical representation. In conclusion, After Solitary demonstrates how VR can transform the understanding of the body in digital spaces, engaging users intellectually and emotionally, while alternating their somatic experience.