Picture every painting museum ever. Are all the walls filled up with paintings in fancy frames, accompanied by a small plaque with the name of the painter (often a wealthy, white old man), the title, and the date of the painting? Now, it’s 2022 and the outdated way of exposing cultural heritage is still presented that way. In this project, I’m capturing the experience, story, background, culture, and zeitgeist of the artwork and its painter. I build it into an interactive experience in which the visitor plays an active role in their own experience. By building a Digital Environment in VR, the visitor is invited to take part in the painting for a moment by stepping into the frame. A voice (voice-acted artist) welcomes you and tells you about the different motivations and struggles they encountered during their lives and while painting this piece you’re now walking around in. Interaction is encouraged. Pick things up, listen to your environment, open a window, and pet a cat. The painters selected are as diverse as our culture, with origins from all over the world, they bring their own perspectives on the world and challenge you to create your own.
