Jenny Holzer | SOFTER Exhibition Virtual Reality App
Blenheim, 2017
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01. Challenge - The Power of Storytelling
In fall of 2017, world renowned American artist, Jenny Holzer unveiled her exhibition, SOFTER, at Blenheim Palace, in collaboration with the Blenheim Art Foundation, Not Forgotten Association, and creative collaborator, Holition.
For twelve nights during the months of September and October, scrolling projections cloaked the exterior of the palace, enveloping the historic battle site in the words of over fifty veterans.
Holition was invited to create a VR app that placed Jenny's art in the hands of every visitor of the exhibition, democratising her extraordinary play on light and architecture to everyone and encouraging a sense of adventure.
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"This is not a subtle show, but Blenheim is not a subtle building."
- The Guardian
02. Solution - Continuing The Narrative Through Tech
Using beacon technology in tandem with the gyroscope capabilities of mobile phones, the app gave viewers an alternative perspective on the exhibition with virtual discoveries in varied locations around the grounds. Superimposing the exterior projections on the Palace allowed viewers to access the powerful texts during the day and after the live projections were no longer viewable. The app also brought the Palace's own stone Wyvern sculpture to life through an exhilarating flight around the Library.
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03. Insight - Our Chance to Learn
As part of our non-commercial portfolio, this project with Jenny was an artistic collaboration, untethered by commercial boundaries, and allowed us to fully explore how Holition's technology expertise could be complimented and utilised by Jenny's creative vision. The project explored beacon and VR technology in a completely different way, and we learned about Jenny's curatorial talent. For us, non-commercial projects are very important as they teach us about tech from a human perspective.