Dancing Worlds
VR exhibition in visual, contemporary arts.
About the practice
A virtual environment where works by two artists, Maciej Kowa and Kamila Sitek were exhibited.
The idea was born during the pandemic era. The artists started talking about the project in 2018. But only in 02.2021 did they start working on it when Katarzyna Koba, a VR expert joined the team. Endi, the artist who generated the gallery space had a ready template, that they could use. They worked for 6 months, the opening was in 6.2021. The exhibition was open till 09.2021 when the application stopped working as a result of an update in the AltSpace VR system.
Story behind
This project arose spontaneously during the pandemic as a part of the "Supporting the Arts through Rotary" activity.
It was an experiment. The main aim was to create a VR exhibition, an experience, which is more like a real exhibition than a website. They wanted to learn and find out whether they can put up a virtual art gallery. The goal was also to promote and educate towards a virtual world.
“In addition to promoting art and artists, we wanted to promote a platform for such international communication. For us, art is more than that - it is about touching emotions and raising issues.”
About the institution
Rotary International is one of the oldest service associations in the world. The first club was founded by Paul Harris in 1905 in Chicago. Today Rotary has nearly 1.3 million members in 170 countries, whose aim is to engage in activities for the local community.
Context
Artists from Rotary Lodz and Rotary Bialystok met and discuss the possibilities of promoting their art. Then the idea for VR gallery was born as a promotion on a wider scale - cheaper than in the real world because the transport of works is expensive.
Location
nationwide
Success factors
the passion of the people involved in the project, teamwork
the vernissage itself - a situation where the authors and the guests were together in the VR world, talking there about the exhibition
Target audience
artists, Rotary members, VR environment users.
Sustainability
Once created the VR gallery environment is replicable for other exhibitions. It has also educational potential - the arts as a driver to learn how to use technology. Other evolving platforms are Mozilla hub (the art gallery is already there, VR chat, engage VR - ExAR.
“With the excitement of how a project like this can grow, we hope to be part of the meta versum.” Katarzyna Koba
Digital tools
Alt Space VR platform and Unity 3D (3d modelling). Why? Because they’re free. The platform was implemented by an outsourced VR expert, who trained the team. It was difficult, they had no funding and they had obstacles to overcome. It took them 6 months to implement it but in 09.2021 the application stopped working as a result of an update in the AltSpace VR system (files were too large). Now they look for funding and discuss whether to move the gallery to another platform or do it all over again but with a smaller size of the files.
“It would be nice to have a more polished tool but it is hard to demand this from software that is free.” Katarzyna Koba
Funding
100% volunteer project
“Each of us risked our own time.” Katarzyna Koba
Plans
Project's possible future is to use it in VR world-building education for students.
Organization/ Institution
Rotary Klub Białystok
Good practice link
https://tiny.pl/933s7
https://www.facebook.com/events/1474210102919780?ref=newsfeed
Address
Białystok, Poland
Contact person on good practice
Kamila Sitak - interior architect and painter, member of Rotary Club of Bialystok: kamilasitak@gmail.com
Contact person on VR
Katarzyna Robo Koba - expert on education and prototyping, in virtual and augmented worlds: katarzynakoba@gmail.com