Shadowpox acts as a “macroscope”, designed to help people grasp large or complex systems. As part of Immune Nations, the installation explores herd immunity, public health, and collective responsibility. Through epidemiological models, embodied gameplay and speculative storytelling makes the invisible dynamics of disease transmission physically and emotionally tangible.

Players interact with the installation using full-body motion tracking. Participants first select a country and decide whether or not to vaccinate themselves against the fictional “Shadowpox” virus. The player’s avatar is surrounded by 99 animated characters of their community going about their day.

Soon after, the “Shadowpox” begins engulfing the player’s body, If the shadow fully eclipses the player (or time runs out) it is game over. Players fight the infection by “pushing” the virus off through physical gestures. However, the shedded particles can spread into the surrounding projected population (“Pox on ‘Em”), creating a tension between self-preservation and collective responsibility. This physical balancing act transforms abstract epidemiological systems into a tangible experience where personal choices directly impact the health of the community.

The infection and transmission rates were influenced by real-world epidemiological and socioeconomic data associated with each selected country, including vaccination rates and historical smallpox transmission patterns. The installation also evolves over time, as the country’s infection state is dynamically updated based on the collective decisions of all exhibition visitors.

The interaction concludes with players receiving either a “Protection Collection” or “Infection Collection,” which replaces abstract statistics with personal and emotional consequences by revealing individual stories of the characters they helped protect or expose to infection.

Context

The project was conceived and directed by Alison Humphrey and developed through a collaboration between artists, scientists, and public health researchers, including York University’s Augmented Reality Lab and the Global Strategy Lab.

Shadowpox began as a theatrical workshop at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London in 2016 before evolving into a larger interactive installation and global storyworld involving students and collaborators across four continents. To learn more about the project, please visit shadowpox.org.