​An augmented reality exhibition has landed in Beijing with KAWS, Olafur Eliasson & more

Beijing will be presenting an exhibition dedicated to augmented reality at the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art. Organized in collaboration with Acute Art, the world’s most extensive platform dedicated to the medium, Mirage: Contemporary Art in Augmented Reality will see works from KAWS, Nina Chanel Abney, Olafur Eliasson, Darren Bader, Alicja Kwade and Cao Fei.

The exhibition will be viewable through Acute Art‘s app in spaces located around the museum. To amplify the experience to non-smartphone users (!!!), Apple has kindly donated iPhones for visitors to use while at the museum so everyone can have the opportunity to experience the artworks. For optimal viewing and interaction, an iPhone X or above or Samsung Galaxy S8 or equivalent is recommended to access the Acute Art app.

A press statement reads: "Mirage stands as the first major institutional project of its kind. As a medium, AR challenges preconceived notions of art and how it may be seen, erasing old hierarchies and offering new opportunities for the democratization of viewership."

Acute Art Artistic Director Daniel Birnbaum adds: “It should not come as much of a surprise that UCCA, known for its experimental approach to new possibilities in art, becomes the first major institution to stage an exhibition exclusively devoted to projects utilizing augmented reality. In collaboration with Acute Art, the exhibition represents a new chapter in the conversation between art and technology.”

The exhibition is also significant for how its artworks complement the current exhibition in UCCA’s Great Hall, “Immaterial/Re-material: A Brief History of Computing Art,” which tracks how artists have actively engaged with digital technology as a medium from the 1960s to present day. The museum also houses the largest Andy Warhol exhibition in with over 200 works.

View a selection of work from the museum here.