Art and virtual reality: immersive exhibitions in galleries

01A fully-fledged artistic medium

Virtual reality as an artistic medium gained its legitimacy through the work of artists whose reputation and rigour are beyond question. Marina Abramovic created a virtual reality work entitled "Rising" that confronts viewers with rising waters in an immersive environment whose emotional power rivals her most striking physical performances. Olafur Eliasson explored the possibilities of virtual reality to extend his reflection on perception and light. Anish Kapoor used this medium to create impossible spaces extending his work on void and colour. These artists do not use technology as a gimmick but as a tool serving a demanding artistic vision experienced from within by the viewer.

The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Strasbourg has presented virtual reality works within its temporary exhibitions, integrating this medium into a museum journey that also included paintings, sculptures and installations. Centre Pompidou has devoted specific programming to virtual reality in its digital creation space, and the Serpentine Gallery in London has presented virtual reality works by artists whose practice belongs to the most demanding currents of contemporary art. This institutional validation is a clear signal for the gallery owner: virtual reality is not a passing trend but a medium establishing itself permanently in the landscape of contemporary creation.

02The technical challenges of gallery presentation

Exhibiting virtual reality works in a gallery raises technical challenges the gallery owner must anticipate and resolve methodically. The first challenge concerns the physical space required. A virtual reality work requires a dedicated space in which the viewer can move without risk of collision with walls, furniture or other visitors. This space, often marked by a safety perimeter, must be large enough to allow freedom of movement that forms an integral part of the artistic experience. The gallery owner must accept devoting a significant exhibition area to a single work, representing a strong curatorial choice in a context where every square metre of gallery has a direct commercial value.

The necessary technical equipment represents an investment the gallery owner must budget precisely. Professional-quality virtual reality headsets, computers capable of running applications in real time with the necessary fluidity, motion tracking systems and spatialised audio devices represent an equipment cost that can be significant. Some galleries choose to rent equipment for the exhibition's duration rather than purchase it, thereby reducing the initial investment while guaranteeing access to recent and high-performing equipment.

Technical mediation is another aspect the gallery owner cannot neglect. Each visitor must be guided in using the virtual reality headset, briefed on safety rules and supported in apprehending the work. This mediation requires the presence of a trained assistant throughout opening hours, representing an additional staffing cost but also an opportunity to create a personal connection with each visitor that enriches the overall gallery experience.

03The sales model: rethinking the notion of ownership

Selling virtual reality works raises unprecedented questions about artistic ownership. Unlike a painting or sculpture, a virtual reality work is a digital file that can theoretically be copied infinitely. The market has resolved this difficulty by borrowing the editions model prevailing in photography and video: the artist creates a work in a limited number of copies, each accompanied by a certificate of authenticity guaranteeing its rarity and market value.

Delivery of a virtual reality work to the collector generally includes the digital file, stored on physical media or accessible via a secure link, the certificate of authenticity signed by the artist, and sometimes the equipment necessary to experience the work. Some artists deliver the work with a configured, ready-to-use virtual reality headset, ensuring the collector can experience the work under optimal conditions without worrying about technical aspects. This sales model, which includes hardware in the work's price, recalls that of certain video installations whose delivery includes screens, projectors and playback devices.

The gallery owner selling virtual reality works must guide their collectors through this conceptual transition. Owning a virtual reality work means owning the exclusive right to experience and share an artistic experience whose rarity is guaranteed by the edition contract. The certificate of authenticity and provenance tracking play an even more crucial role than in the traditional art market, as the dematerialised nature of the work makes its traceability all the more important.

04The visitor experience: a sensory revolution

The experience of a virtual reality work in a gallery is fundamentally different from that of any other art form. The visitor who puts on a virtual reality headset literally leaves the gallery space to enter a universe created by the artist, a universe engaging sight, hearing and sometimes touch in a total immersion with no equivalent in traditional visual arts. This transformative experience creates an emotional bond between visitor and work whose intensity promotes engagement and, potentially, the act of purchase.

The gallery owner can leverage this experiential intensity to create events attracting an audience the traditional gallery does not reach. Technology enthusiasts, gaming aficionados, digital professionals and digital arts students are all potential audiences who may cross a gallery threshold for the first time thanks to a virtual reality exhibition. This capacity of virtual reality to attract new audiences is a strategic asset for the gallery owner seeking to broaden their visitor base and rejuvenate their audience.

However, the gallery owner must also manage constraints related to visitor flow. Unlike a painting exhibition that dozens of people can contemplate simultaneously, a virtual reality work can only be experienced by one person at a time, or a limited number if multiple headsets are available. This bottleneck requires time-slot booking or scheduling that may frustrate some visitors but also creates a scarcity and exclusivity effect the gallery owner can leverage in their communication.

05Artists to follow and pioneering galleries

The gallery owner wishing to integrate virtual reality into their programme must identify artists whose work in this medium reaches an artistic standard comparable to their output in traditional media. Jon Rafman, whose virtual reality works explore the boundaries between physical and digital worlds, is regularly presented by international galleries. Rachel Rossin, who creates virtual environments at the frontier between painting and digital immersion, has been exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Ian Cheng, whose real-time simulations create perpetually evolving visual ecosystems, is represented by leading galleries.

Among galleries, Pace was a pioneer in creating Pace Art + Technology, a space dedicated to art and new technologies in Silicon Valley. Hauser and Wirth has presented virtual reality works by several of its artists, integrating this medium into a programme otherwise rooted in the most traditional artistic practices. In France, Danysz gallery in Paris and Shanghai has developed a programme exploring the intersections between contemporary art and digital culture, including virtual and augmented reality works.

06Towards a mature market: perspectives and caution

The virtual reality art market is a market under construction whose trajectory will depend on several factors. The democratisation of virtual reality headsets, which become more accessible and comfortable with each technological generation, will broaden the potential audience of collectors willing to live with a virtual reality work at home. The improvement in visual quality of experiences, progressing rapidly thanks to technological advances, will strengthen the medium's aesthetic power and artistic credibility.

The gallery owner engaging in this market should do so with caution and discernment. The goal is not to convert the entire programme to virtual reality but to integrate this medium as a component of a diversified programme continuing to offer paintings, sculptures, photographs and installations. Virtual reality is an enrichment of the artistic vocabulary available to the gallery owner and their artists, not a replacement for the forms of expression that constitute the art market's foundation.

For Artedusa partner galleries, virtual reality represents a unique opportunity to position themselves at the cutting edge of artistic innovation and reach an international audience receptive to new forms of creation. The platform allows virtual reality works to be documented through video excerpts, screenshots and mediation texts that give collectors a preview of the experience before visiting the gallery, thus facilitating discovery of a medium whose immersive nature makes online reproduction naturally incomplete yet evocative.