AI ART & VR: Technologies and Architecture of Virtual Worlds. Webinar
- Dec 5, 2024
- 3 min read
Webinar titled “AI ART & VR: Technologies and Architecture of Virtual Worlds“ was held on December 5, 2024, as part of the public program of the AI Hokusai Art & Tech Research Project.
In this webinar, we didn't only examine the artistic and technological aspects of VR but also considered its implications for architects, art managers, and the broader creative community. What role do architects play in shaping virtual worlds? How can we collaborate with developers to create meaningful and practical tools for these environments? And how can these spaces become sustainable, both creatively and financially? By exploring these questions, we aimed to illuminate the future of VR technologies in art, architecture, and beyond, while connecting this discussion to the broader ambitions of the AI Hokusai project.
Speakers:
Vincent Barue — NADK.io
Hartwig Bentele — Partner & COO at Kunstmatrix
Christoph Lauterbach — CEO Kunstmatrix
Sara Cerreto — PM Ikonospace
Joris — Founder Ikonospace
Saint Denis (Denis Semenov) — Resident artist
Vladimir Opredelenov — Expert in tech innovation and cultural development. CDO of .ART and founder of tech4.art, consulting on digital marketing and tech for the art sector
Moderator — Anna Shvets, AI Hokusai ArtTech Research project curator, CEO of TAtchers’ Art Management
The discussion centers on the complex challenges and innovative solutions involved in creating immersive virtual exhibitions, specifically for the AI Hokusai project. Host Anna Shvets highlights that organizing a digital exhibition is not easier than a physical one; the infinite possibilities and lack of physical constraints (like walls and gravity) actually make it much harder. She emphasizes the ongoing dilemma creators face: balancing the desire for stunning, hyper-realistic environments with the need for accessible, user-friendly features.
Key ideas
Vladimir Opredelenov stresses that virtual exhibitions must move away from cheap, uninspiring "white boxes" and instead utilize high-quality architecture to create a compelling environment. To achieve a "dream virtual world," the team uses a hybrid technological approach, blending high-resolution tools like Unreal Engine with accessible web platforms so the art remains available to users without expensive hardware.
Vincent Barue explains their strategy of giving a "second life" to unbuilt, real-world architectural projects by bringing them into virtual reality. For this project, they adapted a complex, multi-level building featuring a lagoon, a forest, and a high gallery, incorporating dynamic lighting to fit the mood of different AI artworks.
Joris details the technical compromise required to make the space accessible: they use pre-rendered visuals from Unreal Engine for the heavy exterior environment, while relying on the Kunstmatrix web platform for the interactive, real-time interior galleries. Sara, Hartwig and Christoph note that while artists constantly push technological boundaries, browser limitations are currently the main bottleneck, though future updates like WebGPU will unlock more power. Furthermore, they view AI not as a replacement, but as an assistant that supports human creativity.
Saint Denis (Denis Semenov) observes a fascinating paradox: the laws of virtual space deeply rely on physical human habits. Even in a limitless digital world, users still crave physical-like experiences, such as riding a virtual trolley or standing close together at a virtual party. Regarding AI, he introduces the concept of "synography" (synthetic photography), arguing that the line between real and AI art becomes blurry only when AI stops being a tool (like a camera or a brush) and starts acting as an autonomous creator.
Discussion Summary
The overarching consensus of the panel is that the future of virtual exhibitions lies in a "magic cocktail" of different technologies — blending the hyper-realism of game engines with the accessibility of web browsers. Creating these spaces is a highly collaborative effort that requires giving physical-world logic and high-end architectural design to virtual environments. Ultimately, AI and VR are seen as powerful new tools (or "brushes") that amplify human creativity. While technology continues to evolve, the core value remains the human experience and the emotional connection the audience feels within these carefully crafted digital spaces.