Open Gallery
An accessible art gallery based within Spatial to engage visitors who may not have access to physical gallery and museum spaces. Using a metaverse platform, Open Gallery can provide a resource that cultivates learning and builds a community hub for visitors. Designed for visitors with accessibility needs, Open Gallery has been a project steeped in deep research into the accessibility communites with a deep focus on the visual impacts of colour blindness and visitors with neurodiversities.
Our aim was to provide a space for all and exhibit art for all.
Currently on display we have art by two African heritage artists now based in the UK. Shaun Harris creates 3D models using open-source software Blender. Shaun is a colour blind artist and it was important to have someone from this community represented in the gallery. Boma Ere-Bestman composes futuristic artwork in iPad app Procreate and is showing this work online for the very first time.
01
Problem Statement
The project brief was to identify a problem within the digital media industry that could be fixed with a solution. The problem identified was the lack of accessibility awareness and consequential setup, in the art and exhibition space and specifically, galleries and museums. It is important to understand that ‘there are many disabled people using services and facilities who might not immediately appear to be disabled.’ (Lisney et al, 2013).
Regarding responsibility, Claremont Graduate University conducted research by interviewing artists and art professionals to gather a consensus - albeit a small sample size - it allowed for understanding the thoughts, feelings and emotions of the industry to some degree. Their paper noted ‘that ultimate responsibility for making art accessible lies with the institutions that present the art, in this case museums and galleries’ (Los Angeles County Arts & Culture, 2020).
Therefore, the project needed to understand how accessibility is defined from an art exhibition perspective and the documented history and evolution of accessibility in galleries and museums. Moreover, there needed to be a key focus on current offerings in the digital space to help influence and guide the project whilst also considering the improvements that could be made.
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Brand Identity
Our brand identity is clean, modern, and tech-savvy, reflecting the simplicity and convenience of our app. The colors should be simple and bold, with a focus on greens, reflecting trust and reliability. The logo should be clean and simple, with a strong, memorable icon that reflects our app's core functionalities.
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Result
The result is an inclusive digital arena to provide a space for all and exhibit art for all.
Currently on display we have art by two African heritage artists now based in the UK. Shaun Harris creates 3D models using open-source software Blender. Shaun is a colour blind artist and it was important to have someone from this community represented in the gallery. Boma Ere-Bestman composes futuristic artwork in iPad app Procreate and is showing this work online for the very first time.