The most ambitious and expansive exhibition of contemporary artworks created with augmented reality (AR) technology will premiere simultaneously in 12 gardens around the world, including the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.
Seeing the Invisible features works by more than a dozen international artists such as Ai Weiwei, Refik Anadol, El Anatsui, Isaac Julien CBE, Mohammed Kazem, Sigalit Landau, Sarah Meyohas, Pamela Rosenkranz, and Timur Si-Qin—including several artists’ first work in AR.
Free for visitors to both Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria in Melbourne and Cranbourne, Seeing the Invisible will allow attendees to engage via an app designed for the exhibition that is downloadable to smartphones and tablets.
Developed during the pandemic, Seeing the Invisible was initiated by the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens and Outset Contemporary Art Fund and is co-curated by Hadas Maor and Tal Michael Haring.
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria was the only organisation in Australia invited to participate.
“Coming out of the pandemic when outdoor experiences and nature have taken on a new meaning and gravity in our lives, this exhibition represents a fresh way for people to engage with art and nature simultaneously,” said Mr Haring.
“The interplay of these augmented reality works in vibrant natural settings breaks down the binary between what is often considered ‘natural’ versus ‘digital’, and in this way provides an exhibition experience that is much more connected to the way we live today.”
“We are thrilled to partner with these prestigious international gardens to offer Melbourne another world-class, outdoor event, set to be an unmissable experience this spring,” said Tim Entwisle, director and chief executive of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.
“The free exhibition is sure to drive Victorians and interstate tourists to Melbourne’s CBD and Cranbourne and showcase the beauty of our gardens in an entirely new way.”
Seeing the Invisible will be accessible via smartphone and tablet through the Seeing the Invisible app, which will be available for iPhone and Android in the App Store and Google Play.
The free exhibition runs until August 2022.
For more information, visit www.rbg.vic.gov.au/initiatives/seeing-the-invisible
