MOMAT Collection Special Feature – Playback: The Abstraction and Fantasy Exhibition (1953–1954) (The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo)

The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, which celebrated its seventieth anniversary in 2022, held a special exhibition of works from the MOMAT Collection, titled MOMAT Collection Special Feature – Playback: The Abstraction and Fantasy Exhibition (1953–1954) (Collection Gallery 3F, Wed., October 12, 2022–Sun., February 5, 2023). This exhibition not only displayed various materials related to the Abstraction and Fantasy: How to Understand Non-figurative (Non-realistic) Painting exhibition held at the museum in 1953 and the works exhibited at that time, but also presented a VR reproduction of the exhibition for the first time at the museum. (VR or virtual reality is a system that allows visitors to experience a computer-generated virtual space as if it were real). This VR reproduction was made possible with the technical assistance of the Preparatory Office for the National Center for Art Research, based on digital images made from glass-plate negatives and other archival materials that were stored in the museum’s art library.

 

Written by Osana Taichi, Senior Researcher, The National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo
Photo by Otani Ichiro

The NCAR promotes production support initiatives focused on using digital techniques to enhance the art-viewing experience, including 3DCG, VR, and video content at institutions run by the National Museum of Art.

This project involved recreating the former Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art building, which no longer exists, in 3DCG, and designing, developing, and implementing VR content using a game engine compatible with various platforms.

Additionally, in conjunction with the playback exhibition 'Abstraction and Fantasy' (1953-54), a curator talk video in full high definition was produced.

 

Written by Koike Hideki , Digital Creative Researcher , National Center for Art Research, Japan