M+ Museum has been causing a frenzy in the city since the launch of its special exhibition “Yayoi Kusama: From 1945 to Now” in November. As a result, the iconic artwork “Pumpkin” by the artist has gained a significant increase in exposure. Apart from visiting the museum to see Kusama’s works in person, M+ has recently collaborated with CSL to showcase pumpkin sculptures in various districts of Hong Kong using AR technology, creating a brand new virtual art experience!
The project aims to promote public awareness of artist Yayoi Kusama’s works, hoping that everyone can discover the artist’s creative footprint outside of museums. This project selects five locations in Hong Kong and Kowloon, including the M+ Rooftop Garden, West Kowloon Cultural District Art Park, Statue Square, The Peak, and Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, to showcase pumpkins in specific geographical environments, turning these city landmarks into the best exhibition venues for Yayoi Kusama’s famous works.
This project uses cutting-edge AR technology to present Yayoi Kusama’s iconic sculpture “Pumpkin” (2022) currently on display in the M+ underground lobby. Users can use the csl. 5G lens application to virtually appreciate the pumpkin’s presence in various areas. This project utilizes markerless augmented reality technology and floor detection, combined with simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology, to realistically showcase a virtual 3D model of the artwork.
This plan not only brings everyone a brand new virtual art experience, but also allows users to fully appreciate the works and savor Yayoi Kusama’s famous quotes from a 360-degree perspective. This also echoes the central idea of the M+ Yayoi Kusama retrospective exhibition, including her life philosophy on love and healing.
In addition, I would like to remind all art enthusiasts that starting today, tickets for the exhibition “Yayoi Kusama: From 1945 to Present” in February and March are now available for purchase online. The exhibition will be on display until May 14th this year, so make sure to seize the opportunity to visit!
Image source and learn more: M+, HKT
