Multimedia technology exhibition 'IMMAGICA. A journey into beauty'
By Levan Abramishvili
Monday, June 3
On May 31, Georgian National Museum opened a multimedia technology exhibition ‘IMMAGICA. A journey into beauty’ at Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia.
With the combination of voice, lighting, and visuals, the multimedia exhibition takes the visitor on a journey in time and introduces them to the Italian masterpieces in from 14th century to the first half of the 19th century.
The stunning aesthetics of the paintings by Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli, amongst others, are shown on five screens at the same time and are accompanied by serene music. However, the visitor can take the immersive experience even further by listening to a voice-over through the headphones provided by the Museum that tells the story of each painting, elaborating on their cultural importance.
Touch screens are installed for the visitors to find more about the presented art, comparing them to each other and viewing intricate details that would otherwise is hard to notice.
The VR headsets make the paintings of Canaletto and Bellotto come alive before the viewers' eyes. Making it an unparalleled experience, only achieved through the combination of significant cultural heritage with modern technologies.
The Messenger spoke with the director of the Georgian National Museum, Davit Lortkipanidze, who talked about the importance of the exhibition.
""Not everyone has the means to see the original paintings; therefore, this exhibition is important for general education. On the other hand, 'it's also significant for specialists and their professional development. This shows the variety of activities that a modern museum can offer. The exhibition is of utmost importance for future generations. We will have several educational programs for children from all over the country to experience the emotions that will follow them throughout their lives."
Levan Kharatishvili, the Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of Georgia, also talked about the unique experience that IMMAGICA provides for the Georgian society.
"This is undoubtedly multimedia and cultural heaven. The visitors will be amazed at the unique opportunity to get to know the Italian masters that are presented here, in Georgia. This important synthesis shows how the heritage and culture meet the new technologies and multimedia," said the Deputy Minister. Kharatishvili thanked the Italian Embassy, Italian companies, and the Museum, emphasizing the great opportunity that the exhibition creates for young people to learn more about Italian art.
According to the Georgian National Museum, the idea of the exhibition emerged in cooperation with Georgian National Museum and National Research Council of Italy, as a result of the seminar cycle organized by the Italian Embassy, that was dedicated to the use of the latest technologies and innovative systems in the field of cultural heritage protection.
The exhibition is organized by the Georgian National Museum and the Italian Embassy in Georgia, with the support of the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport of Georgia. It is created and produced by the joint work of three Italian companies: Centrica, Cose Belle 'd'Italia Media Entertainment and ETT.
The exhibition began on May 31 and will remain open until August 31, 2019, at the Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia.
