What does it feel like to enter a painting? In 2011, the first multi-sensory exhibition of works by Van Gogh opened in Singapore, with projections covering over 2000m2 of walls and floor. It immersed viewers in the artist鈥檚 most celebrated works, from Sunflowers to Starry Night. It was a lauded success 鈥撀. Since then, such experiences have surged in popularity; their arresting visuals proving endlessly shareable in the age of social media.
But immersive installations are not a 21st century phenomenon. They have existed since the 1960s: one of the first artists to create this kind of all-encompassing work was Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929), whose was displayed in 1965 in Castellane Gallery, New York. Kusama’s concept has seen many iterations over the decades, but remains popular to this day, breaking records at Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (2017) and, now, being exhibited at Tate Modern. 聽
Following the popularity of Van Gogh: Alive, more and more famous canonical works of art have been transformed for the digital age. These include Salvador Dal铆’s Surrealist masterpieces (The Boiler House, London) as well as Gustav Klimt, whose vibrant shades of amber and gold transformed the Hall des Lumi猫res in New York. Now, it is the turn of British painter David Hockney (b. 1937). A new venue in London鈥檚 Kings Cross Station 鈥 called Lightroom 鈥撀爃ouses Bigger & Closer (Not Smaller & Further Away), journeying through over six decades of multi-disciplinary projects. Hypnotic 360-degree visuals are cast across a single space, displaying the practitioner鈥檚 most recognisable works in an entirely new way.
Hockney is known for embracing new technologies. His 2017 Tate Britain retrospective included an array of recent drawings made on iPad. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been interested in picture-making technology, so this is now just on a great big scale,鈥 the artist told . Now, audiences can see Hockney’s digital work come to life 鈥撀爁rom start to finish. A visual timelapse is projected across Lightroom’s walls, colours gradually layering to conjure a landscape of trees. It’s a fascinating insight into his creative process. 鈥淓very brush mark can be played back. That鈥檚 like seeing yourself drawing,鈥 he notes. These techniques add a new dimension to the completed image, offering a behind-the-scenes view that is as rare as it is mesmerising.
Swirls of colour engulf audiences in magenta mountainsides. Forests loom above, wildflowers and shrubs melting into the floor beneath viewers’ feet. Later, visitors find themselves submerged within Hockney鈥檚 iconic swimming pool snaps, distorted by waves of blue. The cycle of six themed chapters allows guests a unique opportunity to experience photographs, paintings and drawings from new angles. Audiences can even hear the artist’s voice: 鈥淭he world is very, very beautiful if you look at it, but most people don鈥檛 look very much.”
In 2023, the boundaries between art and technology are being challenged in new and complex ways. AI tools are inspiring both criticism and awe: writing novels, composing music, drawing portraits. Whilst the future of what this means for the creative industries remains unclear, Hockney鈥檚 latest show serves as a reminder 鈥 and ode to 鈥 the ever-advancing world of picture-making.
| Until 4 June
Words: Megan Jones
Credits:
1. Installation of David Hockney鈥檚 Gregory Swimming Los Angeles March 31st, 1982聽 漏 聽David Hockney.
2. David Hockney, Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away). Photo: Justin Sutcliffe.
3. Installation of David Hockney’s “The Arrival of Spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire in 2011 (twenty eleven)”. Oil on 32 canvases (36 x 48″ each), 144 x 384″ overall, 漏 David Hockney. Collection Centre Pompidou, Paris. Mus茅e national d鈥檃rt moderne 鈥 Centre de cr茅ation industrielle.
