Cave painting: Where interaction meets prehistory
Step into the world of the Cro-Magnons and bring the past to life through hands-on painting, exploration and encounters with tribal groups
A project by Dina Idiatullina, Ekaterina Siling, Ilya Romanenko and Koorosh Sabzehzar
Supervised by Prof. Dr Frank Gabler and Prof. Philip Hausmeier
Project completed over 3 academic semesters | Winter 2024/2025
About the Project
Cave Painting is an immersive VR experience that transports users into the world of Cro-Magnon humans. Designed to foster empathy for early humans and curiosity about natural history, the experience takes players on a three-part journey through interconnected cave spaces. It begins in the Entrance Cave, a space designed to familiarise users with the environment and controls. Here, visitors are introduced to basic mechanics such as teleportation and spatial orientation, setting the stage for deeper engagement.
In the Painting Cave, users engage in a hands-on process of mixing pigments using stones and ingredients. Once the pigment is ready, they apply it with their fingers to wall stencils, watching the cave come to life with colour. Each interaction—picking up stones, mixing, painting—immerses the user in rituals reminiscent of early human creativity. The sensory aspect of finger painting adds a personal connection to the ancient world, making the act of creation both physical and emotional.
The experience reaches its narrative climax in the Showcase Cave, which is unlocked once the user has completed their artwork. Upon lighting a torch, a member of the tribe appears, guiding the player into a space where cave paintings come to life to depict Cro-Magnon life. These dynamic visuals pay a final tribute to the storytelling power of prehistoric art. This concluding moment encapsulates the entire emotional arc—transitioning from isolation to connection, and from exploration to storytelling.
The project is designed around a selected museum exhibition on human evolution, featuring 3D-printed human skulls and a chronological display of key milestones. By integrating these themes with VR interactivity, Cave Painting offers a powerful blend of historical context, creative freedom and technological immersion. It invites visitors not only to learn, but to connect emotionally with the world of our earliest ancestors.