Gerhard Richter VR Exhibition

MET Breuer

This stereoscopic 360º video commemorates the landmark exhibition, Gerhard Richter: Painting After All, providing an immersive experience for all those who could not see it in person.

The exhibition was forced to close prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic just nine days after its opening.

I worked as a team member of Germany-based Mirror + Sparks - a creative studio for virtual reality - to capture imagery of the exhibiton.

Creating 360 video for the photo-realistic metaverse requires precision, attention to detail and a keen awareness of surroundings.

Everything is in the frame, so decisions, such as the exact position and height of the camera or the angle of light become even more critically important than with traditional filmmaking.

The work of Gerhard Richter and this revered museum environment demanded the every work of art align perfectly within context to the other works of art, to the walls and to the hallways.

To achieve success, Sparks + Mirrors viewed a livestream inside the Meta Quest headsets in Germany that I was broadcasting from the VR camera in New York City. This enabled Sparks + Mirrors to direct the camera placement & settings as well s the actor’s blocking and performance in real-time from across the ocean.

This VR livestream workflow was essential for our collaboration during the pandemic while travel was not possible. The same remote directing workflow can be deployed again in the future to reduce travel costs and increase efficiency.

Creative Directors from advertising agencies can now virtually join the set of a commercial shoot and feature film directors can virtually attend a location scout live and with the ability to provide immediate feedback.

Developed in close collaboration with the Gerhard Richter, this was the final major exhibition at The Met Breuer. However, viewers around the world can visit this exhibition and iconic museum space virtually into perpetuity.