The idea of the “metaverse” is slippery and complex. Largely speaking, it imagines a network of virtual three-dimensional spaces in which people can work, game and communicate using VR, AR and even smart glasses. It’s predicted to add $5 trillion to the value of the global economy by 2030. Meta (formerly Facebook) envisions a place that offers “new ways to connect and share experiences.” Yet this digital utopia comes with myriad questions. How much time will we spend online? In what ways will it influence our real-world relationships? Will existing stereotypes and biases be reflected in the digital sphere? What about crime? Crucially, will people really want to use it? We’ve taken a deep dive into our Archives, finding five creatives whose works respond to – and use – emerging technologies: to critique, to calm and to imagine.

Six N. Five design studio, photographer Cody Cobb and spatial designer Ben Willett share a love of finding tranquil moments in an otherwise chaotic world.  One-of-a-kind sculptures nestle into distinct natural environments, which complement each other in form, colour and material. Rust-orange shapes stand out against bright white cliffs. Pink sunsets reflect off smooth silver metal. Iridescent white light bulbs pop against the shadows of rock formations. These images settle the mind through magnetising simplicity, drawing onlookers into glossy lakes and pearly skylines. Six N. Five specialises in still life visuals and videos with a clean and modern aesthetic. At the top of the page is The Red Spot, an animation that digitally reimagines nature as a looping, serene seascape that plunges the viewer into a deep state of calm.

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