The successful, interesting and enjoyable Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience which was recently seen at the Del Mar Fairgrounds The Immersive Experience raises the following thoughts.

Will enlarged and attractively projected images of works of art increase or decrease the thousands of viewer’s desire to visit a museum displaying original works by the same artist?

If the digital images were available on the Internet, would millions of viewers be prompted to visit museums?

The experience of the digital reproduction viewer is very different, and possibly for many, less impressive, instructive, and therefore important, than the museum visitor’s ability to view original works.

However, there must be a social, possibly economic, and a personal benefit for vastly larger numbers of people to be digital viewers of creative objects than those able to visit the physical site where the original works can be closely studied.

I believe the ability to enlarge the work, especially were there to be an accompanying professional narrative would increase the digital viewer’s benefit. It is the viewer and museum visitor who is the customer and therefore their benefit is of critical importance.

Of course, it is interesting for those viewing a creative work to be made aware of the creator’s intent in having made the work. Was it economic, as in portraiture, or personal satisfaction as in works reflecting the artist’s views of nature? Was the artist seeking recognition and acclaim? What were the physical challenges the artist faced in creating the work?

In some cases, there are the artist’s commentaries and expressions to others revealing what prompted their works and possibly the artist’s review of the finished work. In other cases, it will be the perception of the narrators of that which was in the mind of the artist at the time of creation. Many viewers of the works, be they digital in their homes or in museums or other galleries, will be interested and others will either just like or not like the completed work.

At first, due to the economics of creating and distributing the digital reproductions, the works displayed will be limited to the well-known brands of major recognized artists. However, we expect that the breadth of coverage will increase.

Finally, the role of museum-employed scholars, other personnel, and museums themselves will change. No longer will they need or be able to justify retaining highly valuable downtown real estate, as collections will be available to millions of viewers broadly located. In some cases, visitor- based revenues and digital viewer use could be sufficient for program continuity. The study, depositary and work safeguarding function will continue, but the physical site does not have to be in high value locations.

Improved technology has enabled vast customer benefit and those who were in the protect -and- display business is, like the movie theatre business, now able, to educate many times more customers than was previously the case.

 

Arthur Lipper, Chairman                          arthurlipper@gmail.com
British Far East Holdings Ltd.                  858 793 7100 PST