Tate Gallery teams up with Minecraft By Dougal Shaw Technology reporter
21 November 2014
The Tate Gallery is going to exhibit some of its most acclaimed artworks in 3D form, within the virtual world of the computer game Minecraft. Is this a good method for art to be appreciated?
Have you ever thought about entering a painting and doing some research?
The Tate invites you to walk over its works of art and enjoy looking.
There are no security guards keeping watch.
It has teamed up to the Minecraft creators which is an online computer game in which millions of gamers carefully create fantasy worlds block-by-block to create 3D versions for two of its artworks in a new virtual gallery.
Andre Derain's 1906 painting The Pool of London, and Christopher Nevinson's painting of New York, Soul of the Soulless City (1920), are the first pair to get this digital, 3D makeover.
"Visitors will be able to see a white square that represents the Tate Gallery," explains Jane Burton, Creative Director of Tate Media.
Xrplay
"You enter the room with the painting in front of you.
"What you can now do is take a walk towards the painting and then dive into it. That's where your adventure starts."
Enter the art of
Visitors will be able to engage with the painting's world.
To get a glimpse of Nevinson's cityscape from the train, you can take it. Stop for sandwiches as you wait for construction workers to finish the high-rises.
Visitors must be wary of pirates in the Thames when visiting Derain's picture and experiment with mixing explosive paint pigments.
"You will be able to explore the activities and challenges that relate to the themes of the art.
Jane Burton, whose children introduced Jane to the potential and power of Minecraft, says, "It's art history adventure,"
The idea of exhibiting in Minecraft originally came from artist Adam Clarke, who is an established creator in the Minecraft community.
He suggested the idea for Tate's IK Prize. This prize is awarded to an idea using digital technology to engage people in the arts.
Tate employed the talents of other famous Minecraft builders, like Featherblade, Featherblade, Dragnoz and Featherblade, to create the worlds inspired by the famous images.
However, not everyone is fully convinced.
Perspective
These Minecraft creations will provide new, younger audiences a familiarity with artworks, and when they see the originals in a gallery it's like "seeing an old friend" according to Times art critic Rachel Campbell-Johnston.
That feeling of recognition, "like seeing a celebrity" is a powerful way to aid art appreciation, and to inspire audiences.
"But ironically the Minecraft works themselves offer a flatter experience," she continues.
"It feels more like entertainment than a creative connection to the painting. 3D mapping from [Minecrafts] replaces the real painting's illusionistic surface and does the work for me."
Digital opening
The two works of Derain and Nevinson will be available to download on Monday.
Players pay a fee to join the Minecraft community, however the downloadable maps of the Tate's photos are free.
Six more 3D masterpieces are planned for the future. Many will be watching closely to see how many people queue for Tate's Minecraft exhibition on Monday.
Code masters: The future of digital artists
2 April 2014
The eclectic, electric collective
12 August 2014
Meet the British YouTube moguls
10 July 2012
Log in to comment