RESEARCHING INNOVATION IN IMMERSIVE ART EXHIBITIONS
In conducting research of the ways in which art has been exemplified and transformed through the combination of virtual reality experiences in the art installation, I found a variety of industry innovations:
1, How Virtual Reality is changing this Art history class at UVA.
As the exhibition of art is engrained in its relationship to education as well as in its preservation and usage for future generations, I wanted to also explore ways in which educators are utilising VR to teach art at their institutions. An instructor at the University of Virginia, recently used virtual reality and new media to educate his students in art history and exploration.
One of the fascinating methods employed by Eric Hupe was to project stitched high resolution images in a 360 degree space. The students then stood immersed by the images and discussed the art works. A student reflected that “it was a really cool way to engage with art”; enabling her to “understand the art and details”.
https://news.virginia.edu/content/how-virtual-reality-changing-art-history-class-uva
2. The Saatchi Gallery
The Saatchi Gallery recently hosted a virtual reality experience where “the invisible connection between plant and human is revealed through breath.” Created by one of London’s leading “experiential collective”, innovators of immersive experiences at Marshmallow Laser Fest. Their work in combining multiple senses into the user experience are exemplary in location based experiences for VR.
https://www.saatchigallery.com/art/salon_009.php
3. 30 Years of Lost ‘Star Wars’ production art showcased in Virtual Gallery Inside Sansar
Collecting Star Wars merchandise for over 30 years, mega fan Greg Aronowitz has amassed a massive collection of art and memorabilia from the franchise. Users are invited to a escape to a galaxy far, far away and navigate an environment which contains 2D and 3D Star Wars art and models. Combined with audio guides, users gain an educational and entertaining experience. Using iconic film props in this medium, also emphasised how important it is to preserve props from films. It was interesting to also note that all props and objects, costumes and more are more and more being archived digitally using the latest capture techniques during the production. A process, I have also integrated into our studio at ERA Film Studios.
https://www.roadtovr.com/loast-star-wars-art-virtual-reality-vr-gallery-sansar/
4. Daydreaming with Kubrick
The Daydreaming with Kubrick exhibit, held at Somerset House, showcased leading artists, whom were invited to create virtual and physical art installations evoking the iconic films of Stanley Kubrick. Through this immersive event experience, the work of Kubrick was taken beyond the silver screen and one could step inside the different rooms which evoked an iconic scene or motif from his films and later immerse themselves in a VR experience coherent with the Art installation and Art influence.
https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/daydreaming-with-stanley-kubrick
5: Ikonospace
A “software toolset” to enable solitary visits to art galleries through virtual reality. This virtual space enables artists to showcase their work in a VR environment, and is available for both Mac and PC. Users are also able to modify the space, implementation of photogrammetry scanned 3D objects or 2D art into the environment, simply by adding a folder. Nina Salomons from VR Focus wrote a very informative article on the project, which can be found here -
https://www.vrfocus.com/2018/03/create-and-curate-your-own-virtual-art-exhibition-with-ikonospace/
6. Synthesis Gallery
The first Virtual Reality art gallery, located in Berlin Germany, guests are able to visit and experience the art works of Swiss Artist Marc Lee.
The gallery uses immersive technology combined with art to explore “cultural and social constructs and identities, giving a platform to a new wave of artists”. This gallery is created for the specific purpose to exhibit Virtual and Augmented Teality art creTions and shows how the medium is developing beyond a complimentary art form; to its own art form, requiring its own new kind of gallery and exhibition space.
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/germany/articles/the-first-virtual-art-gallery-has-now-opened-in-this-european-city/
7. Moscow Art Gallery Virtual Reality Paintings
At the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, virtua Realitb is being employed to exempts “the studios of two 20th century Russian artists”. What is highly interesting about this innovation is that the audience are able to transport themselves to the creative world’s of artists like never before, prior to the creation of art and use the same environment to create their own art pieces, which can later be shared via social media. By placing the audience in the artists workshops, you inhabit the role of the artist and explore his methods in creating his iconic art pieces. In addition, users relocate the actions of the artist in their interactive experience, for examlle in “Goncharova’s studio’ users can arrange items on a table and use a VR paintbrush to add colour to their design” and in “Malevich’s studio, it is possible to throw items at the canvas, where they turn into colourful shapes, in the style of the supremacist style which he founded.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-44977902
8. The Smithsonian
The Smithsonian Museum has recently partnered with Intel and Linden Lab to converts its exhitbuoj of No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man, “into a virtual experience on Linden Las social VR platform”. Through the recreation of galleries using scanning methods, Sara Snyder, chief of external affairs and digital strategy, Snyder stated “we want to continue to learn from each other, and to really tackle this question of capturing three-dimensional objects digitally in a way that makes them as real and present for virtual visitors as possible.”
9. The British Museum
The British Museum recently collaborated with Oculus to create an interactive tour “that can be experienced directrlty within Facebook’s News Feed, using VR headsets and any web or mobile device”. Users are able to explore the Rosetta Stone as well as Egyptian Mummy exhibits in a fully immersive and interactive gallery. The museum combined “high resolution 360-degree photography has been combined with layers of additional content, including expert audio commentary from our curators, as well as text descriptions and interactive 3D models of highlight objects.” Hannah Boulton, Head of Press and Marketing at The British Museum also stated “We’re hugely excited to offer people around the world access to this first-of-its-kind gallery tour. The British Museum has always been open to everyone, but this kind of technology means we can make this a reality in an unprecedented way, allowing anyone across the world to immerse themselves in our Egyptian collections. We’re proud to have worked with Oculus on this important project”, This project emphasised how widespread the implementation of extended reality technology and capture methods are being integrated into the cultural and heritage sectors.
https://blog.britishmuseum.org/explore-ancient-egypt-in-our-virtual-reality-tour/
10. VR All Art
“VR-All-Art sets the foundation for an unprecedented evolution of art exhibitions, art spaces and art trading. It is unlimited space in a new reality – a metaverse of galleries and museum spaces with no borders and no physical boundaries. It enables everyone to explore artworks and discover artists from all over the world wherever they are, at any time. It also gives new power to artists, as they are no longer constrained by the physical limits of real-world space and time. The times have never been better for artists and art-lovers. Finally art can escape the brick and mortar exhibition rooms and conquer the hearts of art-lovers on a platform with no borders and no physical boundaries.”
https://vrallart.com/artist/zdravko-jankovic