Immersive Art Exhibits: A New Genre
Imagine being able to appreciate art in a way that lets you experience it in totality. Not just visually, but art that involves all your senses, even welcoming you ‘inside’ a painting or a sculpture.
Welcome to Immersive Art with the wildly popular exhibitions and installations that bring the so-called high brow art right to your awareness.
Immersive Art is not a new concept. Yayoi Kusama’s Infinity Mirror installations have been popular since debuting in the ‘60s. They used LED light installation and mirrored optical illusions to create seemingly endless rooms Over the past few years, interactive exhibits have been so valued by the public that there are more and nore spaces dedicated to bring immersive art to people.
In addition, there are digitized versions of exhibits allowing the visitors to get a complete experience in a virtual environment. The pandemic and subsequent restrictions limited the opportunities for people to attend an exhibit in the physical space.
Immersive Art Spaces
Art galleries and Museums have traditionally been the places where we ‘consumed’ art. There were strict conditions under which art was supposed to be experienced, which was mainly by viewing, supported by text, and in an order that the place decided on. Visitors are expected to be quiet, not discussing much and in veneration of what they are viewing.
On the other hand, immersive art spaces operate on the premise that art needs to be more accessible. Instantly, the process becomes more open and joyous; there are a number of ways you can interact with the installation or the art. You can walk through it, watch it with friends, talk about it and get takeaways that are not dispensed from a pedestal.
Showcasing multimedia art, from new and emerging artists, blending art and technology through digital viewings, engaging your senses through large-scale interactive displays (think halls, gymnasiums, warehouses with giant projectors spanning entire viewing space).
Popularity of Interactive Art
The pandemic has shown the world what museums, galleries and art spaces can do with technology. The ability to connect deeply, both with the art and the people around you, building a community, is where the real attraction lies for the audience.
When it comes to creating immersive art, these works envelop people in a full-body experience, engaging with sight, touch and sometimes even smell. Using New Media processes, including video projection mapping, sound technologies, VR headsets and light shows, exhibits create environments that make the viewer an active part of experiencing art.
The exhibits let visitors access the artwork while dissolving their sense of self. Immersive art is about becoming a part of something far greater than the body, absorbing yourself totally by standing within rather than before the artwork. For instance, a 360-degree expansion of a work allows the viewer to step straight in, eliminating the boundaries around the art object.
In a world drunk on Instagram, sharing stunning pictures of these art exhibits in your feed can be enough word-of-mouth publicity. There is no doubt that the new age way of experiencing art is more engaging and entertaining and may just be the next revolution the world needs.
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