THE ERA OF THE RECONSTRUCTION OF MEANING AND SENSORY EXPERIENCE OF ART IN VIRTUAL SPACE

Abstract

The global COVID-19 pandemic has given birth to a new discourse that is important to the needs as well as economic constellation of the social fields of fine art. Paintings that need to be appreciated, performance art that must be performed on stage, sculpture installations and creations that use new media such as video art and video mapping that are appreciated, given meaning, and interpeted through interactions and human sensory experiences that can only be felt by physically standing in front of and seeing the art objects directly. Several social media such as Instagram, Facebook, Podcast, YouTube Live, and Zoom Cloud Meeting have become alternative virtual platforms to accommodate these needs. However, the process of giving meaning to a fine art creation have undoubtedly become constructed, because virtual spaces have created distances when the body and its senses are replaced by narrow gadgetary spaces. The objective of this research is to analyze this on-going phenomenon and to try to find an alternative formula in presenting an art program. This analysis used two research methods, quantitative and observation, toward active participants of art events such as exhibitions, art tours, and online discussion forums, and the artists who participated in the exhibitions. The virtual space that used live features of on-going art programs became the best alternative in maintaining the safety of participants and the continuity of the needs of social - art world.
Keywords : Art Works, Sensory Experience, Pandemic, COVID-19, Cultural Reconstruction, Virtual Space