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Arts & Communication Reflecting on art through virtual exhibitions

of the Louvre as its sculptor did, or the first spectators who in the JSTOR, Google Scholar, Scopus, Artstor, and
enjoyed it, or the different eyes that have observed it over ACM Digital Library databases, using terms such as
the years. Furthermore, probably within a hundred years, “immersive exhibitions,” “virtual reality in art,” “digital
future visitors to art galleries, whether in person or not, art,” and “interactive experiences.” Digital bibliographic
will see “another” sculpture because art can be scandalous, management tools like Mendeley were used to facilitate the
immodest, beautiful, innovative, groundbreaking, organization of references. To adequately develop various
irreverent, and much more depending on the viewer’s examples of virtual exhibitions, informative websites
perspective and when and where it is situated. Perhaps were consulted, most of which belong to the domains of
the modern viewer who attends virtual exhibitions and museums that have hosted diverse immersive experiences.
immersive art experiences can now understand how those Regarding the existing scientific literature on this topic,
citizens of the 19 century might have felt when they first an increasing number of publications reflect its current
th
saw the works of the Impressionists in Paris. If those people relevance. A meta-analysis by Li et al. from 2023 stands
had been explained the artistic value of what they were out, in which an analysis was conducted of the existing
seeing, without being able to anticipate the heights those literature on immersive technology in exhibitions and
works would reach in less than 60 years, they would not have museums, focusing on VR, augmented reality (AR), and
believed it. Perhaps the same will happen with regard to the visitor experience. It examined a total of 722 articles
the new ways of living and experiencing art that has gained and highlighted influential works within these areas,
great popularity following the restrictions imposed because including the field’s historical evolution and the current
of the COVID-19 pandemic. The vast majority of the pursuit of VR to create immersive, educational, and
world’s museums were forced to “open their digital doors” engaging experiences for museum visitors. 3
due to the absence of spectators, making art accessible
to people confined to their homes in an unprecedented The results of the authors’ analysis revealed the presence
global situation. There are staunch defenders and enemies of three interconnected thematic areas: the enhancement
of these ways of presenting artworks. Do these impose of heritage tourism, the incorporation of virtual museums
a curator’s viewpoint and limit the viewer’s freedom to enabled by VR and AR, and the inclusion of interactive
interpret the work? Is there an assumption that the viewer digital art education in immersive environments. The
must be constantly guided and directed in an experience study found that the largest number of publications focus
on user experiences driven by games and interactive 3D
where a specific order of images and sensations is offered, heritage, and the authors concluded that this results in
along with pre-selected music and a pattern to follow? In
phenomenology, perceptual experience is a central aspect greater visitor engagement and improved access to cultural
1
of understanding art, and the meaning of an artwork is content.
rooted in the viewer’s individual perception. Thus, virtual Further, the authors concluded that the adoption of
exhibitions and immersive art experiences emphasize and VR technology has the potential to revolutionize user
enhance the viewer’s perceptual experience. experiences within the cultural heritage sector and reshape
the overall landscape of museums and exhibitions. By
Moreover, these forms of art can also be linked to the
idea of simulation in postmodern philosophy. French presenting these research trends, the study contributed to a
deeper understanding of the vital role of VR in enhancing
philosopher Jean Baudrillard (1929 – 2007) argued that visitor experiences in museum settings and paved the
in the postmodern era, reality is replaced by simulated way for further exploration and innovation in immersive
representations and that art forms that reflect this are, technology. 3
in fact, more faithful to reality than traditional artworks.
Virtual exhibitions and immersive art experiences, thus, 3. Description
create simulated representations that reflect reality and
offer more authentic experiences of artworks. 2 This study focused on the terms “virtual exhibition” and
“immersive art experiences.” Though these terms are
2. Data and methods often used interchangeably or as synonyms, it is vital to
understand that there are crucial differences between
The initial phase of research involved reading various texts them. Therefore, it is necessary to define and conceptualize
that provided the theoretical foundation for this work for these phenomena.
contextualizing the topic to be addressed.
Subsequently, a literature review on the use of 3.1. Conceptualization of virtual exhibitions
virtual reality (VR) and immersive technologies in art A virtual exhibition is a presentation or display of objects,
was conducted. The literature search was performed art, information, or any content online or through digital

Volume 3 Issue 1 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/ac.3688