Art is taking its steps towards the digital revolution.
Museums, galleries and artists all over the world are already using augmented reality to create works and give unique experiences to their visitors.
But let's take a step back and start by saying what exactly it is.
Do you remember Pokemon Geo from a few years ago? That's augmented reality.
Augmented reality, also known as AR, is the technology that makes real environments interactive through the use of objects and sounds that, when superimposed, seem to react with the real world.
Several large institutions and museums are already using augmented reality to create content and provide real experiences for visitors.
You have probably heard of archaeological sites being reconstructed according to the original, haven't you?
The Ara Pacis for example, one of the masterpieces of Roman art, has proposed a new itinerary called L'Ara Come Era (The Altar As It Was) where visitors can admire the altar in its original colours. But colour is not the only novelty. People also have the opportunity to witness a real sacrifice by remaining at the centre of the scene, letting themselves be completely immersed.
These experiences are increasingly spreading among museums and institutions, but not only.
Thanks to its versatility, it is spreading to other fields.
Large global companies such as Microsoft, Google and Apple have quickly grasped the potential and are developing programmes based on this technology.
Facebook also didn't miss the opportunity and just in the summer of 2019 collaborated on a project with Tate Museum to bring the works in the collection to life. Visitors could view the original paintings from the collection and at the same time see them animated and enriched with content via their smartphone.
That same year, Apple brought together artists such as Nick Cave, Pipilotti Rist, John Giorno, Carsten Höller, Cao Fei, Hans Berg and Nathalie Djurberg at the New Museum in New York, asking them to produce a series of site-specific works designed specifically for AR. Many of these artists encountered this medium for the first time, taking the opportunity to experiment with new ways of expressing the main themes of their work.
And here we come to the point.
Augmented reality has now become a technological tool available to artists.
From big names such as KAWS, Jeff Koons and Olafur Eliasson to younger, emerging artists are using augmented reality as an expressive tool that allows them to create new worlds, new works and new experiences.
Everyone is starting to use it in the most creative forms as an integral tool in their artistic research.
"Theemergence of a new medium always opens up new possibilities for art," commented Daniel Birnbaum, artistic director of Acute Art, "the immersive media we have today are creating totally new opportunities for the production and distribution of works, and the arrival of augmented reality is giving rise to a new form of immaterial art."
But why is it so beloved by artists?
Because it does not change their work, but complements it by adding value and offering immersive experiences for all art lovers.
In fact, it develops and uses a simple visual language that serves to communicate the artists' message and their emotions in a simpler and more accessible way to the general public, giving added value to the works.
Onstream Gallery looks to the future and wants to make the most of the technologies it offers us. As KAWS stated, this is just the beginning of the journey, let's start the conversation and see what happens.
I leave you with this video, where KAWS invites the public to interactive with his augmented reality sculptures.
Watch it to the end, I recommend it!
See you soon collectors,
Chiara
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