Tate Modern is using VR to give visitors a look at how iconic painter lived
- Thursday, November 30th, 2017
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Tate Modern has teamed up with HTC to use Vive’s technology to deliver a VR experience which reimagines the final Parisian studio of Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani.
Created by BAFTA-winning games and VR studio Preloaded, The Ochre Atelier gives visitors to the Modigliani exhibition an insight into where the painted lived and worked for the final months of his short 35-year life. The experience is seated, and takes place in the VR room at the heart of the exhibition where nine Vive headsets are positioned for visitors.
The look into Modigliani’s studio is narrated by first-hand accounts from his friends and commentary from Tate’s experts – providing visitors with a background on the man, how he worked, and other details as they explore objects within the space.
“We’re proud to be partnering with Tate Modern on the next project of our Vive Arts program, which empowers artists to create and consumers to experience art and culture in new ways with HTC Vive,” said Joel Breton, VP of Vive Studios. “Modigliani VR: The Ochre Atelier challenges the way we interpret the work and influences of an artist through virtual reality, and marks an exciting step forward for technology’s role in enriching the narrative of gallery exhibitions.”
An at-home room-scale version of The Ochre Atelier will be available to Vive users via HTC’s Vive VR app store, Viveport, from December.
The Modigliani exhibition is running at the Tate Modern until 2 April 2018. Along with the VR experience, 100 works from the artist are showcased, including his portraits, nudes, and sculptures.
“We are thrilled to be working with HTC Vive to bring this new and exciting digital experience to our visitors,” said Frances Morris, director at Tate Modern. “We are always looking to push creative boundaries and we think this will be a fantastic opportunity to give the public a different and in-depth understanding of this much-loved artist through new technology.”