Kaws, Holiday Space (2020)
Courtesy Kaws and Acute Art. Photo: Jesse Hamerman.
Frieze New York is a sold-out event this year, but prospective visitors who find themselves tantalisingly ticketless can still see some free augmented reality (AR) artworks around the premises of The Shed in Hudson Yards. The non-tangible, mobile phone-powered exhibition The Looking Glass allows viewers to summon works like the massive Holiday Space (2020) by Kaws—one of the mega-artist Brian Donnelly’s equally loved and hated characters—as well as works by Precious Okoyomon, the recipient of the annual Frieze Artist Award, and the Chinese artist Cao Fei.
The show is on view outdoors and inside the fair for those who scored a ticket. It has been curated by the digital medium studio Acute Art and spearheaded by its artistic director, Daniel Birnbaum, and The Shed’s chief curator Emma Enderby.
Throughout the summer—as New York’s art attractions fully reopen, but as most people remain mindful and anxious about social distancing and opt for outdoor experiences—organisers will continue adding works to the show, which will expand to the High Line in Chelsea. More details will be announced in the coming months, but the line-up is slated to include pieces by Olafur Eliasson, Alicja Kwade, Darren Bader and others.
Acute Art offers a range of free AR experiences via their app. It previously revived Christo’s The London Mastaba (2018)—the artist’s colossal pyramid of stacked barrels at Hyde Park in London—shortly after the artist’s death in May last year.
For more on the best AR innovations, an evolving concept in the art world that is often hit-or-miss, check out The Art Newspaper’s XR Panel reviews.
