Julian Opie - OP.VR@LISSON
VR art is still in it’s infancy, so I approach it with the same hesitancy that I have about wearing a winter hat on a mildly cold day. It’s just not worth the effort to mess up my hair. But I love Julian Opie’s work, so I decided to give his new VR installation a go. Much like his real-world work, it relies on a brilliantly simple execution, and it’s energised my enthusiasm for what this emerging medium can do.
There are compromises to be made when translating something like an oil painting or watercolour to a digital screen, but Opie’s thick-lined illustration style is an obvious fit for a virtual world. His work is simply articulated in a flat format, so there’s no worry about losing texture or fine line detail. It transitions seamlessly into a VR headset, looking just like it does as a 2D print, 3D outdoor sculpture or animated LED screen. But simply transplanting visuals is only the first step towards making a VR experience truly unique. As far as I’m concerned, there’s no point in putting on a headset if all you’re able to do is stand still and use handheld remote controls to mimic movement. That’s something that many shows I’ve seen have failed to understand.
Opie’s experience doesn’t mimic movement, and there are no handheld remotes. Donning only a headset, you are free to move fully throughout a series of spaces. You can physically walk wherever you want, to look at whatever you want. The headset visuals adjust to you, not the other way round, and I found that invigorating. I don’t want to give too much more away, other than to say that this is all cleverly happening in one large room. Gym owners, take note: Opie’s VR experience makes repeatedly walking in a loop feel fresh, with a new surprise always just a few steps away. And the fun doesn’t end inside the headset. You’re probably going to hear giggles from the people patiently waiting their turn, because from the outside you look like a mouse lost in an invisible maze.
Before you set your expectations too high, I should remind you once again that VR is still a new technology. Anyone with more than a casual familiarity with the tech, especially gamers, will likely walk away wondering what’s the big deal. And there were a few delays when headsets often had to be reset, but the staff were superb, friendly and helpful throughout.
You don’t need to like Opie’s art to enjoy the experience, but it certainly helps, especially since the rest of the gallery spaces, both indoors and out, are filled with a variety of new Opie works. That includes some experiments in tubular steel, hypnotic animated LED animations and a 3D church jungle gym that I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to climb, but damn if you won’t be enticed to!
Plan your visit
‘Julian Opie: OP.VR@LISSON/London’ runs until 15 April at Lisson Gallery, 27 Bell Street
The show is FREE - but booking is essential to guarantee use of the VR headsets.
Visit lissongallery.com and follow @lisson_gallery on Instagram for more info about the venue.
Visit julianopie.com and the Julian Opie Wikipedia page for more info about the artist.
🖼️ Want more art? Visit the What’s On page to see a list of recommended shows, sorted by closing date. Don’t miss ‘em!