Beyond matter, within space : curatorial and art mediation techniques on the verge of virtual reality

Exhibitions are sites of knowledge production and exchange, and their spatial qualities are central to contextualizing the information harbored within the artworks they present. In virtual emulations of exhibitions, immersion is not bound to geographical location but to the interplay between materiality and representation. Bringing together partners from around and beyond Europe, the research project Beyond Matter (2019–23) aimed to make sense of the interdependence between physical and virtual and to decipher the impact of that interdependence on the spatial aspects of producing, curating, and mediating art. In exploring the so-called virtual condition, the project proposed new modes for preserving cultural heritage while probing the potentials of digital world-making.