Following from my initial approach with Katie Toulson, we decided to arrange a zoom session to discuss collaborations.
I first discussed with Katie my brief email conversations with Anthony Malone and these virtual-exhibition designing tools. We began looking at each of the tools to see what would work best and be most accessible. We found sketch up to be the most accessible tool for beginners. However, we still had issues with placing objects within the space and manoeuvring around the space. This indicated that we would possibly need to watch more tutorials and possibly get further help.
When researching on google however, we found loads of websites and virtual exhibition builder tools. Possibly due to the pandemic there has been more requirements for online access to exhibitions and artworks, so this proved as a benefit for us in using accessible and easy to use software.
We found the exhibition tool 'Art Steps', allowed us to customize greatly. We were able to customise the floor or gallery walls, possibly use grass as the terrain or sand. This opened up a variety of options for how we want to stage the exhibition. Does there even need to be walls? This questioned the traditional white wall gallery and how through virtual reality, we can customise a space, something that we are not able to do in person.
Another interesting feature was the ability to construct a virtual tour, by guiding a visitor around the exhibition and proving audio narration to inform the visitor about each piece. One thing that I wondered was if we could input 3D objects into the space, as some of my pieces were 3D sculptures. Although, I might be able to input 3D objects, an issue was how to capture sculptures digitally.
This would mean that I would have to obtain a 3D scanner to scan an object. I heard that there were 3D scanner applications on phones, but whether they would be as effective is another question that I should explore.
After experimenting with this software, Katie mentioned a lecture she had with a curator at FACT, which could be beneficial to our exhibition. FACT in Liverpool, surround their exhibitions in technology, science and art, which align highly with my artworks; therefore, this could be useful to get a curators’ input to help Katie curate my exhibition. We came up with some useful, brief questions and points to start up a conversation with the curator.
Following onto the end of our zoom session we gave ourselves some tasks to complete until we met again. I decided to write up an artists’ statement to include in the website, and after writing that, Katie would read mine to get an idea of my concept and them frame her curators statement also.