Hauser & Wirth up their VR game

ArtLab
Exterior view Hauser & Wirth Menorca created in HWVR
View of Louise Bourgeois's Maman, 1999 
Louise Bourgeois © The Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY
Courtesy The Easton Foundation and Hauser & Wirth

The gallery is launching ArtLab, a research and innovation division dedicated to projects at the intersection of art and technology. With this, Hauser&Wirth announced a new VR exhibition modeling technology, a first in the art world. This technology will allow audiences to fully experience exhibitions in different local contexts without traveling. The first entirely VR-based exhibition will give visitors a preview of Hauser&Wirth Menorca that will be open in 2021 in Spain. It’s interesting, how the urgency amid the virus outbreak drove the development of innovation, as VR art experience technology was primarily developed to help artist visualize the spaces where their exhibitions would be presented. The current situation gave an opportunity of a new approach, that can engage people worldwide, bringing them closer.

Ten percent of gross profit from sale of works will be donated to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund of the World Health Organization.