The pandemic saw a rise in virtual spaces, from the Musée du Louvre to Unit London’s Platform, the art world responded by bringing us culture online. Offering access to art globally and introducing broader creative constraints, we are delighted that digital galleries are here to stay. Get your keyboards ready, and check out LiveArt’s favourite digital galleries.
Synthesis Gallery
Synthesis.gallery
An assorted digital gallery space that never fails to disappoint, Synthesis Gallery is an immersive blend of art and technology showcasing cutting-edge experiences through virtual and augmented reality. Their current exhibition, The flowers I have never seen in my garden, exists within a luscious green landscape. Gliding across grassy hills, digital artworks appear in view, including Sabrina Rattē’s animated triptych, and floral imagery from Chris Golden. You can move among the pixels to the sweet meditative audio.
Fluorescent Smogg
fluorescentsmogg.com
Their virtual exhibition space responds dramatically to the works exhibited. In 2020 they showcased an apocalyptic display of works in Dream Machine, featuring mixed media, from video art to a 3D installation. Their current exhibition by Taku Obata provides some sweet solace — abstract works in a cherry blossom pink haven.
Serpentine Digital
Serpentinegalleries.org
The Serpentine program has always been thought-provoking and socially engaged, and their exploration of the digital is no exception. Among their archive is Jenna Sutela’s I Magma, an app that produces morphic shapes using live footage from your phone’s camera. It’s like looking at the world through a lava lamp. A digital gallery in your own hands — what’s not to love?
Isthisit?
isthisitisthisit.com/slipstream
One of the coolest digital art projects out there, isthisit? offers artists a web page to create a piece of net-art. The results are fantastically diverse. One work, Slipstream, sees an octopus emoji appear on screen, accompanying us throughout the page. Scroll down and see a loop of two nude purple bodies moving in water. Spoken word together with a thumping electro beat brings this exhibition into another realm of escapism. Be prepared to lose hours playing in this virtual world.
Digital Artist Residency
Digitalartistresidency.org
Exploring the boundaries of art and technology, DAR supports artists by allowing them a virtual platform to showcase their digital works. The Preserving Machine, a VR exhibition presenting the 3D-image, invites us to a dystopian landscape accompanied by a dooming hum. Be prepared to daydream as you travel through this orange hazy world.
Chronus Art Center
we-link.chronusartcenter.org
Chronus Art Center (CAC) is China’s first nonprofit art organization dedicated to media art. Check out We=Link: Sideways, a group exhibition featuring 28 creators. On opening up this platform, you’ll be met with a 90s desktop background and a basic text box displaying the Press Release. One work, ‘Default filename tv’ by Everest Pipkin is the 00’s answer to TikTok. The work finds and plays Youtube videos that were uploaded from the camera without edits to the filename. The result is addictively mundane — ranging from a clip of a regional ballroom dancing competition to a film of a ferret in a ball pit. The randomness of the proceeding video is discomforting, but also very funny. Its playful nostalgia makes this work really special.
