Additional comments from curators when asked about tips on how to highlight works we are exhibiting in a potential VR gallery:
- Virtual galleries can be more accessible to the public and therefore allow an audience not usually found within traditional gallery curation, so using multi-media platforms can assist in highlighting works! Also I feel it completely depends on whether you plan on making a profit from the exhibition, because that will change how you advertise and curate the works as you’ll attract different audiences. This idea is so interesting, and I feel it would be very easy to highlight art using recycled products in the current environment, but I think it would do better if the whole project was sustainable, so by being virtual you can try creat no footprint and by making it free and easily accessible it will be more of a statement that agrees with the pieces themselves, but I don’t know how economically viable that would be for you as a curator!
- I had a hard time answering the question related to the intention of art curating these days, because I feel like the industry (and therefore the practice) is very polarized. Although mega galleries are on the rise, smaller, more independent collectives, galleries, museums, projects are also emerging. They seem to be more conscious morally, socially, and environmentally. They are also in touch with AR/VR better. Transfer Gallery would be a great example. One thing I found interesting this year is how the Art Review completely changed up it’s “Most Powerful” list and replaced gallerists with academics, celebrity artists with politically minded collectives. So a central question would be what can curating and tech can offer to promote this shift? I think VR is a good answer bc it allows you to experience “the other.” There are thousands of articles written about VR in the context of environmental studies, gender studies, disability studies. They could be a useful guides.