is this real life or is this fair? virtual reality? to celebrate the tenth anniversary of its inauguration, the Singapore Science Museum of Art opens its doors to a virtual reality gallery on July 10, 2021 where fantasy takes on a whole new dimension. through a collaboration with acute art, a exhibition, titled hyperrealities, it provokes curiosity, emotion and more. equipped with cutting-edge technology, the event invites visitors to literally immerse themselves in works by world-renowned artists marina abramovic, olafur eliasson i anish kapoor.
image courtesy of Marina Bay Sands
Located on level 4 of the museum of art sciences, hyperrealities are here the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. The pioneering event is organized by Singapore’s leading cultural institution of art, science and technology, which since 2011 has featured some of the world’s leading artists, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Vincent Van Gogh, as well as assembling exhibitions related to robotics and particle physics. sharing a common passion for the digital world, the highly skilled production team of acute art joins in, translating his compelling works of art on display into virtual and augmented media and realities.
“I am pleased that the Singapore Science Museum of Art is now showcasing the pioneering works we have produced with some of today’s most significant artists.” diu daniel birnbaum, artistic director of acute art.
image courtesy of Marina Bay Sands
absorbed by the minds of three brilliant artists, visitors witness an exciting journey of touch, vision and sound coming together. state-of-the-art handheld controllers and headphones expand the expansion and experience of the art as we know it. as a result, the many possibilities that develop become means of potential as the tools provided require different sensory perspectives and understandings.
“At the artscience museum we believe that new technologies such as virtual reality and augmented reality allow museums to create pioneering experiences for the public.” explains honor harger, executive director of the artscience museum, marina bay sands.
image courtesy of Marina Bay Sands
Eliasson’s first virtual reality work invites people to immerse themselves in the ephemeral phenomenon that is the ‘Rainbow’. with colors, water drops, and lights interacting with body movement, a majestic meditative experience unfolds. on the contrary, “going up” by abramović leads viewers to the most terrifying climate changes in nature. dominating art with activism once again, the artist caged in a rising water tank urges intimacy as users interact with her face to face watching her drown. while reconsidering the human impact on the world, kapoor “in yourself, it falls” is for those who dare to enter a dizzying and chaotic maze inside – literally. through an abstract journey through muscle and flesh tunnels, the viewer experiences the sensation of being lost in their body.