V&A goes just about in entrance of the Alice in Wonderland exhibition
We saw a slew of virtual exhibits, events, and other digital experiments in response to the pandemic.
The V&A is the newest art institution dedicated to the virtual world. News that it is partnering with HTC Vive Arts coincides with the release of tickets for the highly anticipated Alice in Wonderland exhibition, which will open to the public in 2021.
The free virtual preview will take place on October 22nd at 2pm GMT and will be the first live VR event hosted by V&A. It offers a glimpse into the exhibition before it opens and is directed by curator Kate Bailey.
The audience can take part in the event via the Engage VR platform with a Windows PC or Android device, or take part in a live recorded version of the event that is broadcast on V & A's YouTube channel.
The experience was created in collaboration with the Preloaded and Engage agency and takes place in a bespoke setting inspired by the V & A's IRL museum space and the fantastic landscapes of the Wunderland.
Participants can participate in the event as avatars, interact with each other in VR, and explore the five main sections of the show, which depict the evolution of Alice in Wonderland from its beginnings over 150 years ago to its cultural influence today.
The backdrop, capturing the dreamlike qualities of the classic novel, will change and adapt throughout the preview, including live visual effects like the tear pool and the hallway of the doors from the book.
HTC Vive also announced two additional VR experiences for the home, inspired by the exhibition. Curious Alice will be released on October 22nd and is based on illustrations by the Icelandic artist Kristjana S. Williams specially commissioned for the exhibition. The iconic white rabbit is your personal companion.
To mark the opening of the exhibition next year, VR company will publish A Curious Game of Croquet, in which visitors are transported through mirror-like portals, interact with the famous characters in the book and test their skills against the Red Queen with a patch of croquet.
“Since the creation of the Alice books, their mind-boggling ideas and concepts have been a source of inspiration for new technologies, from silent films to CGI. It was an extraordinary adventure to work with HTC Vive Arts and Preloaded to take our exhibition into a playful new dimension of VR, ”says Kate Bailey, Senior Curator for Theater and Performance at V&A.
“Alice's impossible journey through a fantastic universe is made possible on this exciting new creative platform. From rabbit holes to mirrors and flamingos to hedgehogs, Wonderland is the perfect world for VR, and the V&A is excited to be pioneering our first VR event. "
Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser will open at V&A on March 27, 2021. Further information on the virtual experience on October 22 can be found here