How wonderful would it be to spend your breakfast venturing through the vaulted hallways of the Vatican, taking a sip of your freshly brewed coffee while following a 360º tour of the Sistine Chapel? During lunch, how about gallery-hopping through every neighborhood in New York, or exploring the Rijksmuseum’s newly renovated galleries? Imagine being able to take a close look at brushstrokes from any Dutch painter without breaking proximity barriers (other than the zoom limit), or to travel back in time through the British Museum’s virtual tour.
Fortunately for you, no imagining needs to take place. According to The Guardian, these institutions (along with the J Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles; Guggenheim, Bilbao; Natural History Museum, London; National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, South Korea; etc.) provide some of the best virtual tours yet. During quarantine, they have opened up to the online public, providing exceptionally detailed tours at no cost, with incredibly thorough complementary texts, and detailed images of exhibited artworks ― all available to any culture appreciator willing to open that extra window on their browser. The traditional museum visits have now been reduced to a couple of clicks, meaning there is no more waiting in line and feeling exhausted after only a couple of rooms; you can follow at your own pace, see whatever attracts you, and go back to artworks whenever you want.
Apart from great museums and exhibits, certain art fairs have chosen to follow the virtual path. In October, Frieze London will host its second online viewing room of the year from days 08 through 11. Closer to home, one of the greatest art events in South America will be happening both online and in-person. Art Rio (October 14-18) will take on a smaller venue and follow all required health precautions in order to host their face-to-face edition this year. For those whose comfort lies within their own homes, the online version is also available and encouraged.
Lastly, the first museum in Rio to open its doors to the public after quarantine was the Museu de Arte Moderna. Alongside their opening, MAM is exhibiting the Campana brothers’ largest collection of works in 35 years, featuring a variety of multimedia pieces.
Quarantine has not limited the public to appreciate art; on the contrary― never before has art been so accessible to everyone. From virtual museum and gallery tours to in-person exhibits, the art world invites you to continue to explore, cherish, and learn from it!
“Irmãos Campana – 35 Revoluções.” MAM Rio, MAM, www.mam.rio/programacao/irmaos-campana-35-revolucoes/.
Pablo Larios, and Magali Lara. “Frieze London and Frieze Masters 2020 Cancellation.” Frieze, 13 Oct. 2020, www.frieze.com/article/frieze-london-and-frieze-masters-2020-cancellation.
Tinoco, Pedro. “As Novidades Para a Comemoração Dos 10 Anos Da ArtRio.” VEJA RIO, VEJA RIO, 14 Aug. 2020, vejario.abril.com.br/cidade/artrio-feira-outubro/.
Wilson, Antonia. “10 Of the World's Best Virtual Museum and Art Gallery Tours.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 23 Mar. 2020, www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/mar/23/10-of-the-worlds-best-virtual-museum-and-art-gallery-tours.
Comments