Exhibition merges traditional art with digital techniques
A painting shows giant pandas in a brightly colored scene.
How will the world be portrayed when traditional art meets digital technologies? Visit the Shanghai Exhibition Center in downtown Jing'an District to find the answer.
An exhibition of work by Russian contemporary artist Marina Fedorova features a series of nature-inspired creations selected from her large-scale art project "CosmoDreams," a highlight of the ongoing ART021 Contemporary Art Fair.
The series combines the beauty of nature with rich imagery, and presents the artist's perception of nature and the universe through paintings, sculpture, and digital multimedia art.
The internationally renowned artist unfurls an unparalleled magical world with a bold combination of digital technologies, including video, interactive installations, AR, VR, and 3D printed sculpture.
Since 2017, Fedorova has been working on Cosmodreams, in which she builds an imaginary world with the natural universe as the backdrop. The project is divided into seven units, which become a complete story: Nature, Metropolia, Patriotism, Life on Earth, Life in Space, Legacies and Deep Space.
The artist with one of her artworks at the Shanghai Exhibition Center.
Cosmodreams has already begun its world tour, inviting the audience to enter a colorful world where reality and fantasy intertwine from the perspective of "nature."
The exhibition features representative works created by Marina over the past three years: Peony blooms on canvas; Moon Crocuses, which are full of spirituality; Moon Pandas, which are lovely in a greenhouse in space; and Violet Mountains, which are surrounded by fairy mist.
The sculpture Birth echoes the paintings as a microcosm of nature itself.
"This year, we decided to choose nature as the topic because I think it's important to preserve nature, not only to see the beauty, but not to destroy it," Fedorova said. "Most of the works here are about landscapes, flowers, and the planet."
Each painting on display bears a QR code, and viewers will be taken on a digital journey into the world of the painting and learn its story with a visual feast presented after they scan the code with AR videos.
Violet Mountains drew inspiration from one of the prototypes for a scene in the movie Avatar - the famous Wulingyuan scenic area in central China's Zhangjiajie, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Hunan Province.
After scanning the code, people will enter the world of Avatar with dragons flying around.
Moon Pandas showcase people's efforts to preserve the species.
"The subject is especially for the Chinese audience because I know the panda is the favorite animal in China and they are very cute," she explained.
A viewer wears VR glasses.
The exhibition was also equipped with VR equipment, placed on the heads of the viewers, who were able to "enter" the CosmoDreams fantasy journey.
With infinite imagination and unique artistic expression, Fedorova presents an immersive artistic experience that aims to create a bridge between art and the young generation.
Her works are mainly large-scale oil paintings, and she specializes in the Alla Prima painting method, in which she quickly overlays colors before the paint dries, capturing her momentary inspiration, which makes her works richly layered and free-spirited.
Using digital tools as a medium, Marina goes beyond the flat paintings to continue the story inside the paintings. The interweaving of painting, sculpture, and multimedia elements brings viwers an unprecedented sensory experience.
"What makes our project very special is that all the paintings have a AR effect, and I hope it helps younger people to pay attention to art, particularly classical art," Fedorova said.
The exhibition is well laid out.
VIP Preview:
November 10, 1pm-8pm
Public Preview:
Date: November 11, 12, 11am–6pm
Venue: Shanghai Exhibition Center
Admission:150 yuan, ticket can only be purchased at www.damai.cn
Address: 1000 Yan'an Rd.M
延安中路1000号
A viewer takes a virtual journey.
