Noa Iimura, a Japanese-American artist, has created a unique virtual experience that transports audiences to Venezuela, offering an immersive journey unlike any other. For many Venezuelans who haven’t had the chance to return home, the experience serves as a powerful way to reconnect with their roots.
The Venezuelan Student Association at FIU (VENSAFIU) invited Iimura to bring his project to the university. The goal was to provide students with a chance to experience their homeland in a new and emotional way.
“The purpose was just that we wanted to start this club to get the Venezuelan community together, and a lot of us have not been able to go back to Venezuela,” said VENSAFIU Co-President Camila. “So it hit really close to home to not just be able to experience something that many of us didn’t get to, or haven’t been able to in a while.”
Iimura’s journey to create this project was unexpected. Initially hesitant from the negative headlines he often heard about Venezuela, he decided to challenge those perceptions by experiencing the country for himself. What was supposed to be a short trip turned into six months, during which he fell in love with Venezuela’s beauty, culture, and people. Inspired by his time there, he created a film to showcase the Venezuela he saw firsthand—one that goes beyond the headlines.
The virtual experience itself is nothing short of breathtaking. Using VR goggles and a chair, participants are fully immersed in the film, able to move their heads and see Venezuela from every angle, as if they were truly there.
The experience will be available in from April 4 to April 7 in Doral. The tour will then continue across Florida, with the final U.S. stop on July 9. Click here to purchase tickets and take your own virtual trip to Venezuela.
