Tate Gallery Teams up With Minecraft
Tate Gallery teams up with Minecraft By Dougal Shaw Technology reporter
The Tate Gallery will exhibit some of its most renowned artworks in 3D within the virtual world of Minecraft. What is the best way to appreciate art?
Have you ever thought of taking a step into the painting and performing some research?
The Tate invites you to walk over its art and enjoy exploring.
There are no security guards on watch.
The first artwork to receive this digital, 3D transformation was Andre Derain's painting of 1906 The Pool of London and Christopher Nevinson’s depiction of New York City, Soul of the Soulless City (1920).
Jane Burton, Tate Media's Creative Director says that visitors will see a white cube which represents the Tate Gallery.
"You walk through the door with the painting in front of you.
"What you can do now is go up to the painting and then plunge into it. This is where your adventure begins."
Enter the art
Visitors are able to interact with the painting's world.
To get a glimpse of Nevinson's cityscape from the train, ride it. Have a snack while waiting for construction workers to finish the high-rises.
Visitors need to beware of pirates in the Thames when they visit Derain's painting, and can play around with mixing explosive paint pigments.
"You explore activities and challenges that are related to the themes of the artwork.
"It's art, history, and adventure," says Jane Burton who's children introduced her to the magic of Minecraft.
The idea of exhibiting in Minecraft originally came from artist Adam Clarke, who is an acclaimed creator within the Minecraft community.
He came up with the idea for Tate's IK Prize. This prize is awarded to an idea using digital technology to engage people in the arts.
When the concept finally was realized, Tate enlisted the skills of other celebrity Minecraft builders such as Dragnoz, Kupo, Featherblade and Tewkesape to create the worlds that were influenced by the famous photos.
However, not everyone is convinced.
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Perspective
These Minecraft creations will help younger, new audiences familiarity with artworks, so that when they see the originals in a gallery it will be as "seeing an old friend" According to Times art critic Rachel Campbell Johnston.
The feeling of being recognized, "like seeing a celebrity", is a powerful tool to aid art appreciation, and to inspire audiences.
She continues, "But ironically the Minecraft works themselves provide a flatter experience."
"It feels more like entertainment than an imaginative relationship to the painting, as [Minecrafts] 3D mapping replaces the real painting's illusionistic surface, doing the work for me."
Digital opening
The two works of Derain and Nevinson will be available to download on Monday.
Players have to pay to join the Minecraft community, however the maps available for download of Tate's photos are free.
Six more 3D masterpieces are on the way. Many will be watching closely to see how many people line up for Tate's Minecraft exhibition on Monday.
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