Image via LUXI / MKE Virtual Gallery
If there are any positive aspects at all to be found from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that it has forced many parts of society to further embrace technology to adapt to virtual events and settings. Before the pandemic struck, though, electronic pop artist LUXI had already had her eyes on virtual reality, which at one point was being heralded as the next big wave in social media and tech. Through her experience in developing computer games and experiences that coincided with some of her recent musical projects, the all-around creative recently completed the MKE Virtual Gallery. The project combines visual art, technology, and local music in one download for a truly immersive creative experience.
“I think it was back in April of 2018 when I first came up with the idea” said LUXI. “I had been working on other 3D projects for a while, and I was starting to get more serious about it. I was trying to think of different ways to use the stuff that I was learning, so that was the start of it.”
Work from 10 visual artists and 13 local music acts comprise the gallery, which is available for download on both Windows and Mac devices. The setup mimics a conventional art gallery, with the ability to walk through, admire, and learn about the work on display as you would with a regular gallery. Videos and still images combine in the digital setting to create a unique experience, which would likely not be readily available in most conventional art galleries. The gallery “entrance” states that the goal is to push the boundaries of digital art, which LUXI most certainly does.
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“I hadn’t really done anything collaborative yet, or something that I felt was doing more for other people than just myself” said LUXI. “I started thinking that it would be really cool to showcase other artists’ work in a digital gallery that you could ‘walk around’ in your computer to view art from home. This was before the shutdown with the pandemic, so it ended up coincidentally working out.”
The game was created using Unreal Engine, a program utilized by many video game developers and independent gaming enthusiasts alike. With previous releases, LUXI has developed similar experiences and games to partner with her music. Rather than being goal-based like a game would be, the virtual gallery is a collaborative effort with the goal of simply exploring Milwaukee’s creatives and giving them a platform for discovery. This iteration of the gallery is actually the second, with the first file becoming unusable, forcing LUXI to recreate the entire experience.
“I was freaking out a little bit, not gonna lie” said LUXI. “Honestly, I think it turned out way better than the first version that I had. The floor layout is a lot cooler in my opinion, and it’s more interesting to me. So it worked out for the best. Sometimes stuff like that happens and you think it’s a disaster, but your project is better off for it in the end.”
You can view the MKE Virtual Gallery by downloading the file here. To learn more about LUXI and the many different mediums that she works in, you can visit her website.
