Bangalore’s Museum of Art and Photography introduces holographic imagery and immersive digital experiences
The pandemic has taught a lesson to dozens of people. Some welcome, some forced, but all necessary. In Bengaluru, at the Museum of Art and Photography (MAP) – founded by industrialist and art collector Abhishek Poddar – fine-tuning their digital offerings has been a major achievement. “Our digital focus and programming have helped us reach a wide range of people and geographies; we would not have managed otherwise,” says director Kamini Sahni.
take forward
- Scheduled to open in 2022, the Physical Museum is accelerating the use of technology. It will feature initiatives such as a Digital Touch Wall and virtual art and holographic imagery – visitors can virtually walk inside a painting and select items from a collection that are not on display.
Like their digital museum initiative, MAP Plus. With a digital subscription, people can access a variety of virtual exhibitions and events. For example, the private museum harnessed artificial intelligence capabilities to create a digital persona of artist MF Hussain. Visitors can interact with the late artist’s AI twin, to learn more about his life and work.
“Art is something that should be accessible and enjoyable for everyone. We have taken a 360 degree approach to access directly from the physical space of MAP. [they have a quiet room for people suffering from panic attacks, anxiety and autism; a lift with Braille and sound cues; a floor map of the building as a tactile display; and induction loops for people with low hearing] for digital activities and educational workshops,” explains Carolina Artegiani, Head of Development, MAP.
woocap viewer want
Recently, in its efforts to foster interaction between the public and museums, MAP launched a research project (in collaboration with the Ririti Foundation) to understand audience behavior. “We wanted to learn what motivates people to participate in any cultural activity,” shares Artegiani.
Kamini Sawhney (left) and Carolina Artegiani
According to the report (based on a survey of 500 people), more than half of the respondents, mostly under the age of 30, felt that museums in India could offer more engaging content. And while 54.5% of the respondents believe that art and culture are essential, they rarely dedicate time to it.
digital tour
- MAP also launched its ‘Museum Without Borders’ last year – a video series in which curators discuss various objects from museums in India and around the world. Currently, the seven-episode series features museums such as the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum in Jaipur, the National Gallery Singapore and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
MAP believes it is important to make the conversation two-way. “Instead of unilaterally deciding what visitors should see, museums should collaborate with the public to decide exactly what should be displayed,” Artegiani says. In fact, they are already using the findings. Based on research, music is the most popular cultural activity. Hence, the second edition of the museum’s annual ‘Art is Life’ festival (a byproduct of the pandemic) is themed. sound frames – and will demonstrate the interrelationship of music and the visual arts.
The survey is the first in a series of planned phases, Artegiani says. “If people think going to MAP is cool, then going to a museum will become an activity like going to a park on a Saturday afternoon,” she concludes.
sound frames Running from 3-5 December. Details: map-india.org
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