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Arts & Communication Immersive curatorial practice

unreal. In the unreal world, Jia Baoyu beholds a plethora subsequent development of immersive art exhibitions with
of fantastical scenes, including cloud-green mountain contemporary relevance. In contrast to the murals of the
peaks, jade buildings situated on the mountainside, and past, modern immersive art exhibitions contain little of
the graceful movements of dancing fairies and nymphs. the creator’s personal agenda. Instead, the objective is to
Such vistas engender a sense of being in a beautiful dream. facilitate an experience that enables the viewer to become
In Lewis Carroll’s English fairy tale, Alice in Wonderland, fully immersed in the work. From the moment a viewer
the protagonist Alice experiences a series of fantastical enters the gallery and encounters the artwork, the meaning
adventures in a magical land, encountering a diverse of immersive art begins to emerge. This meaning is created
array of fantastical creatures. In this fantastical realm, the through the resonance and emotional connection that
boundaries between reality and imagination are blurred, is formed as a result of the viewer’s interaction with the
and the extraordinary challenges the conventional notions artwork.
of truth. Ultimately, upon finding a way to return home,
Alice comes to perceive that her entire experience was a 2. The present state of immersive art
dream. The employment of a vivid imagination enables the exhibitions
reader to become immersed in a dreamlike space. In the contemporary era, characterized by pervasive
The grottoes in Dunhuang, which are surrounded by digitization and the dissemination of information, museums
mural paintings, provide an excellent illustration of the assume a pivotal role as bastions for the preservation and
esthetic and technical achievements of ancient fresco dissemination of cultural heritage and artistic expression.
paintings. A visit to the grottoes where the Dunhuang In the context of the vast quantity of digital information
mural paintings are located evokes a sense of being in a currently available, museums are confronted with a
mysterious wonderland. Upon approaching the murals, multitude of challenges and opportunities. The traditional
one can discern the texture and hue of the paintings, as museum exhibition paradigm, which is often characterized
well as perceive the fervor and expertise of the artists. by its static and one-dimensional nature, offers limited
This immersive experience has a profound visual impact, opportunities for audience engagement and immersive
evoking a sense of awe in the visitor. Therefore, it can be experiences. Consequently, there is an urgent need for
argued that the Dunhuang Mural Paintings represent continuous innovation in museum curation to explore
the inaugural immersive art exhibition in China. The novel exhibition methodologies and state-of-the-art display
cathedral’s exquisitely detailed paintings convey the technologies. The advent of new methodologies, particularly
profound reverence of the faithful for their beliefs those based on immersive experiences and digital
through the realistic portrayal of figures. Michelangelo’s technologies, offers considerable promise for transforming
Genesis became an important masterpiece of the Italian the nature of museum exhibitions. The utilization of
Renaissance, representing a significant advancement in cutting-edge technologies, including virtual reality (VR),
humanism through the artist’s careful depiction of its augmented reality (AR), digital displays, and interactive
characters. A visit to the site evokes the sensation of being interfaces, enables museums to develop more dynamic,
situated within the narrative context of a biblical account. interactive, and immersive exhibition environments. This
In addition, it is regarded as the most immersive art paradigm shift serves two purposes. First, it diversifies
exhibition of its era. Eastern and Western artists employed the spectrum of exhibition expression. Second, it enriches
disparate painting techniques to facilitate the viewer’s the cultural experience of museum visitors. This, in turn,
transition into the spiritual realm. Both Dunhuang mural catalyzes the advancement of cultural exchange initiatives
paintings and the church ceiling painting are presented and increases the effectiveness of art education efforts.
to the audience in the form of immersive art. This allows The incorporation of immersive experiences and digital
the audience to immerse themselves in the world of the technologies represents a substantial departure from
paintings through the artistic techniques employed, the conventional methodologies employed by curators
enabling a deeper understanding of the spiritual world in the museum sector. This new approach facilitates
they express. enhanced levels of audience engagement and interactive

The earliest manifestations of immersive art exhibitions participation. The utilization of animated artworks as a
can be traced back to the early 20 century. At this conduit for immersive experiences enables museums to
th
time, several artists, influenced by the emerging art of expand the expressive modalities inherent in traditional
cinema, sought to explore the relationship between the exhibition formats. Furthermore, this approach not only
fusion of moving images and optical perception in their enhances the educational dimensions of art exhibitions but
creations. This endeavor laid the foundations for the also increases their entertainment value.

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/ac.3377