Alongside its physical space in Zurich, Roehrs & Boetsch is opening a virtual gallery for virtual art – CUBE.

The rapid development of computer, network and virtual reality technologies is prompting artists to make increasing use of these also as artistic media. At the same time, the characteristics of digital and virtual artworks – such as overcoming gravity – are calling for innovative, more targeted modes of presentation.

CUBE is a virtual reality platform which simulates a virtual gallery for virtual art. New virtual reality architectures such as CUBE are the logical environment for digital and virtual art, especially three-dimensional art. With that in mind, CUBE is primarily intended for digital and virtual artworks with no physical prototype for which a faithful realization in the physical world fails or seems illogical.

CUBE serves as a testing ground not only for new digital and virtual artworks, but also for virtual modes of presentation. Roehrs & Boetsch sees CUBE as the incubator for a development process that is still in its infancy, one which will spring from the interplay between artistic creativity and growing expertise in the field of virtual reality coupled with new technological possibilities.

Using VR glasses (Vive), visitors enter the virtual gallery building where they embark upon an immersive, self-guided tour. Visitors use a controller to move through the gallery space, extending over five floors, each floor exhibiting different virtual artworks. Visitors can approach the artworks, walk around them and view them from different angles. Some works can be experienced through sound, and others are even interactive. The pioneer project CUBE combines exhibition space and art to form an integrated virtual reality while also allowing individual virtual artworks to be arranged in direct juxtaposition, reflecting the typical exhibition setting in the physical world.

This new exhibition concept is the brainchild of gallery owner Nina Röhrs, while artist Manuel Rossner was commissioned with artistic design of the architecture and technical realization of the project. Together, they developed CUBE over the course of one year.

On 16 January 2019 CUBE will open at the gallery in Zurich with an inaugural group exhibition on sculpture. Curated by Nina Röhrs, the group exhibition ‘Virtual Natives – Sculpture’ presents the artists Banz & Bowinkel, Martina Menegon, Chiara Passa, Manuel Rossner and Theo Triantafyllidis, featuring sculptural works either created especially for this exhibition or developed further in view of the new exhibition options offered by CUBE. Further exhibitions will follow.

Participating artists: Banz & Bowinkel, Martina Menegon, Chiara Passa, Manuel Rossner and Theo Triantafyllidis.

Curated by Nina Roehrs