Why you should care about Virtual Reality art.
Physical Artists have historically not liked working digitally as there is no tactility. VR however is different. You’re moving your body in a 3D space, adding a new dimension into the mix. A new dimension with brand new possibilities, creativity and learning. In VR you can only focus on your artwork, you can constantly change the scale of your piece just by waving your hand, working at a tiny scale and then at an enormous one. It’s incredibly easy to get lost in the performance and dive into your self created world. It’s a great feeling, working in every scale at the same time, in a world that started from nothing. It can be overwhelming at first, as much as blank canvas or sheet of paper, but you can truly take yourself anywhere and experience what you’re creating. Live among your artwork.
Virtual Reality allows you to create with others around the world, without leaving your workspace. This is a tremendous benefit in the current COVID-19 climate. One of the primary VR art applications is Google Tilt Brush. This program creates an immersive environment in which you can create in all three dimensions. As of this moment there is not currently a ‘multiplayer’ function in Tilt Brush (Google says they’re working on it), which is a shame. You can however, save your artwork and upload it online with ‘remixing’ enabled, allowing others to alter or add to your work, giving a sense of international collaboration. This is what Deborah Tartaruga Feliz has accomplished with her ‘Friends in Virtual Reality’ project. Deborah has created a space in which seven artists from around the world could add their own expressive and thought provoking characters into this VR universe. The file is also still available to ‘remix’ so anyone else with a headset can jump into their world and inject fresh content.
Above is a snapshot of Deborah’s ‘Friends in VR’. It can be found here: http://www.tartarugafeliz.com/portfolio/friends-in-virtual-reality/
In my search for exhibitive VR platforms I was given a helping hand by Hannah. ArtLab in an intersection of art and technology. It allows users to visit virtual art galleries without a need for travel, yet still gives them the full experience. A virtual art gallery has no size constraints. It can showcase local artists and international artists alike. It can also be used as preparation tool for a physical exhibition, providing artists, curators and coordinators a space to prepare for upcoming shows, helping them visualise and make best use of space. A good point that you may not think of is that a Virtual gallery can reduce the carbon footprint, negating the need for costly travel.
Read the full story about ArtLab here: https://www.hauserwirth.com/stories/28281-artlab-new-technology-research-division
The second virtual art gallery program that I’ve found is simply called VR Art. Similar to Artlab, VR Art allows users to explore galleries and exhibitions. VR Art however is more focused on the 2d or normal art that we are used to. Work from amateur and famous painters can be showcased tin these infinite galleries. The platform can also be used to buy the artwork on display and have it shipped to your residence. One of the best things about the virtual galleries is the fact that they can be open to audiences all around the world 24/7, allowing for lessons on art and culture anywhere on earth.
The full VR Art website could be found here: https://vrallart.com/
Other References:
https://arpost.co/2020/02/03/rosie-summers-art-virtual-reality/
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