Dusty Art
Studio & Gallery
Augmented Reality Art & Established Artworks
Kunsthaus Zürich emphasizes that artists are important interpreters of artworks and open up new perspectives. Following this viewpoint we show that Augmented Reality Art can inspire additional interpretations of established physical artworks.
Gerhard Knolmayer created first digital supplements to museal art at documenta 15 in 2022, based on metaspheres created by Sarah Montani and APTIQ. The most impressive extension is a video based on Jonathan Borofsky’s "Man Walking to the Sky," which was presented at documenta 9.
Unknown artist:
Statue di Pugilatore,
Mont'e Prama (ca. 800 BC)
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Video: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Should we believe in Geoengineering as technological shield against Global Heating?" (2023)
The Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari also presents obviously suffering Statuette di Devoti, found at Guspini in Sardinia.
Augmenting the heated globe in this environment suggests that these individuals may be suffering from the effects of global heating.
Unknown artists:
Statuette di Devoti, Guspini (ca. 3rd century BC)
Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Photo: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Suffering from Global Heating" (2023)
Mary has often been depicted suffering. A particularly beautiful sculpture by a Franconian artist from the 16th century is exhibited in the Kunstmuseum Basel.
In the years to come, her suffering could also be due to destroyed living conditions.
Unknown Franconian artist:
Maria (early 16th century)
Kunstmuseum Basel
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Video: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Suffering because of future living conditions" (2024)
The Belvedere in Vienna owns 18 enigmatic sculptures by Franz Xaver Messerschmidt, which were created at the end of the 18th century, and is displaying some of them for several years.
The sculpture shown here is presented in the Wien Museum, which reopened in December 2023, with the title "Die Einfalt im höchsten Grade ("Simplicity in the highest degree"). Guess why Gerhard Knolmayer was tempted to add the climate sphere in front of this object.
Franz Xaver Messerschmidt:
"Die Einfalt im höchsten Grade" (after 1770)
Wien Museum
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Photo and Video:
Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Global Warming Denier" (2024)
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Wien Museum also shows artworks by prominent Viennese painters from several centuries.
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Anton von Maron:
"Selbstbildnis" (1787)
Wien Museum
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Photo: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"I paint myself the world" (2024)
Friedrich von Amerling:
"Die drei köstlichsten Dinge" (1838)
Wien Museum
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Photo: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Don't forget, the world is also very important" (2024)
Arnold Böcklin is one of the most important Swiss artists of the 19th century and is presented in the Kunsthaus Zürich with numerous artworks.
Arnold Böcklin:
"Lovers in Front of a Shrubbery" (ca. 1865)
Kunsthaus Zürich
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Video: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Concern for the World is more important now" (2024)
Arnold Böcklin suggested a mask to Kunstmuseum Basel with a facial expression somewhat similar to Messerschmidt's sculptures referenced above.
Arnold Böcklin:
"Draft for the Sixth Mask on the Garden Façade of Kunstmuseum Basel" (1871)
Kunstmuseum Basel
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Photo: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"What a nasty Surprise" (2024)
The sculpture "L'Âge d'airain" (1875/76) by Auguste Rodin is exhibited, among others, at the Kunsthaus Zürich. Rodin promoted the work’s multiple interpretations, stating, "There are at least four figures in it." One of these interpretatione is that the sculpture depicts a suspended moment of human awakening to suffering.
If the sculpture is augmented by the heated globe, one can interpret the man's reaction as a desperate awakening about the effects of the climate crisis.
Auguste Rodin:
"L'Âge d'airain" (1875/76)
Kunsthaus Zürich
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Video: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Painful Awaking in Climate Crisis" (2023)
While the Leopold Museum in Vienna has important artworks by Gustav Klimt on permanent display, the following painting was only on show in 2024 as part of a special exhibition of the Vienna Insurance Group's collection.
Gustav Klimt:
"Half-length portrait of a woman with hand on her forehead" (1884)
Leopold Museum
(Special exhibition of collection by the Vienna Insurance Group 2024)
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Video: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Why didn't we realize this earlier?" (2024)
The famous Swiss artist Ferdinand Hodler was well connected and a member of both the Vienna and the Berlin Secession.
Ferdinand Hodler: "Der Tag" (1904)
Kunsthaus Zürich
Metasphere creation: Gerhard Knolmayer, Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Video: Gerhard Knolmayer: "Will esotericism help?" (2024)
Gabriele Münter and Wassily Kandinsky were close friends with the artist couple Alexej von Jawlensky and Marianne von Werefkin. The portrait shown here was created during a visit by Jawlensky to Münter's Murnau house, which shows Jawlensky listening to Kandinsky's innovative art theories.
Gabriele Münter: "Zuhören
(Bildnis Jawlensky)"
(1909)
Lenbachhaus München
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Photo: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Our generation really could not expect this!"
(Leopold Museum, 2023)
The world's largest collection of Schiele paintings can be found in Vienna's Leopold Museum. Among other famous works, several expressionist self-portraits are on display.
Egon Schiele:
"Self-portrait with raised bare shoulder" (1912)
Leopold Museum
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Photo: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Egon Schiele is shocked" (2024)
Austrian sculptor Anton Hanak created an artwork titled "Der brennende Mensch – Du brennst und verbrennst" (1922), which is on display, among others, at the Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz. The title of this artwork was used as title of a book edition of Hanak's diaries.
If we put the metasphere between his arms, the sculpture can be interpreted as a very early warning about a forthcoming climate crisis.
Anton Hanak: "Der brennende Mensch – Du brennst und verbrennst" (1922)
Lentos Kunstmuseum, Linz
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Video: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Early Warning" (2023)
The Brazilian artist Anita Malfatti had a strong influence on the Brazilian art after 1915 through her studies in Europe and the USA.
Anita Malfatti:
"Chinese Woman" (ca. 1922)
Zentrum Paul Klee, Bern
(Special exposition "Brasil! Brasil!
Aufbruch in die Moderne", 2024/2025)
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Video: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Far Eastern knowledge meets spirituality" (2024)
Paul Klee's jester plays with balls. If one falls down, it is not a tragedy. It's a different story when jesters play with the earth - and perhaps gamble it away.
Paul Klee: "Der Narr" (1922)
Albertina,
Permanent loan from Thomas Kirch Stiftung
Metasphere creation:
Gerhard Knolmayer,
Sarah Montani, APTIQ
Photo: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Ein Narr verspielt die Welt" (2023)
Another page shows how the climate-related metasphere may also be applied in everyday situations.
Jonathan Borofsky:
"Man Walking to the Sky" (1992)
Location: KulturBahnhof Kassel
Metasphere creation:
Sarah Montani and APTIQ
Video: Gerhard Knolmayer:
"Dear climbers,
it can't go on like this" (2022)
The heating of the earth, symbolized by the reddened globe, should always be kept in mind. Thus, our climate-related metasphere was applied in a variety of observations, ranging from considering physical artworks to everyday situations.
An 8th century BC statue found in Mont'e Prama, Sardinia, on display at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari, bears a protective shield.
Augmenting the giant by the metasphere raises the question of whether geoengineering can provide us with a technological shield against global warming.