Let your smart device take you on a journey of discovery through the National Gallery of Victoria’s brand new experience AR. Trail an Augmented Reality (AR) art trail. The NGV AR.Trail is one of Australia’s largest ever, free augmented reality (AR) exhibitions. Appearing across several locations in Melbourne including NGV International and The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, as well as Fed Square, ACMI and the Koorie Heritage Trust and viewable through the camera of your smart device you’ll be able to immerse yourself in works from artists such as Reko Rennie, Ron Mueck, Alicia Kwade, KAWS and more!
AR. Trail NGV Melbourne
Opening on 22 August and running until 30 September 2022 you’ll find everything from a floating human skull to a neon pink warrior. Visitors to the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) can experience eye-popping digital artworks by leading Australian and international contemporary artists.
Exploring connections between the environment, the human condition and how people inhabit modern cities, the works presented in the AR. Trail will be shown in 22 locations and has been funded by the Victorian Government’s Melbourne City Revitalisation Fund. The hope is that events like this will entice visitors back into Melbourne to reignite the cultural scene and enhance the city experience for people.
This innovative AR technology is also really exciting as it provides a new platform for Australian contemporary artists to present their work. Tony Ellwood AM, Director of the NGV, said: ‘During the global pandemic, the NGV developed and presented cutting-edge virtual art experiences so that audiences continued to have access to arts and culture – even during the periods of lockdown. This Australian-first collaboration with Acute Art proudly builds upon NGV’s leading multimedia experience and will allow audiences to discover art in a way never-before possible.’
Some of the key works on display are Ron Mueck’s never-before-seen Head Space, in which a monumentally sized human skull floats over NGV International’s water wall entrance. This piece utilises the AR technology to present the work in a gravity-defying format that would not be possible in real life. You’ll also find Reko Rennie’s OA Warrior I (pink), alongside a new work by Patricia Piccinini, Shoeform (Sprouting), which will be located at Fed Square, alongside ten other impressive works across the venues.
The complete list of artists and their work presented at the NGV AR. Trail includes:
- Nina Chanel Abney, Imaginary Friend
- Alicja Kwade, All At Any Time (AR)
- KAWS, WATCHING
- Tomás Saraceno, Maratus speciosus
- Reko Rennie, OA Warrior I (pink)
- Patricia Piccinini, Shoeform (Sprouting)
- Koo Jeong A, density
- Precious Okoyomon, Ultra Light Beams of Love
- Olafur Eliasson, Solar Friend and Rare Puffin
- Julie Curtiss, Lune and Olafur Eliasson, Uncertain Cloud
- Cao Fei, The Eternal Wave AR: Li Nova
- Olafur Eliasson, Caring Northern Light
- Cao Fei, RMB City
- Cao Fei, The Eternal Wave AR: Farewell
- Bjarne Melgaard, Octo With Ostrich Egg
- Ron Mueck, Head Space
- Olafur Eliasson, Lucky Stone
- Alicja Kwade, Marsmelone (AR)
- David Shrigley, Worm
- KAWS, COMPANION 2020
- Marco Brambilla, The Four Temperaments AR
- Tomás Saraceno, Bagheera kimplingi*
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