During Decentraland’s third annual Metaverse Art Week, which took place from August 24th to 28th, organizers sought innovative ways to use digital space to provide immersive and lifelike art experiences. Taking inspiration from the real-life Biennale art event, which utilizes public spaces to showcase art, the virtual festival in the metaverse aimed to emulate the same atmosphere. In the physical festival, attendees have the opportunity to explore spacious pavilions and various parts of the city to engage with artists and brands beyond the confines of traditional gallery walls.
Giovanna Graziosi Casimiro, the events and community producer for Decentraland, shared her thoughts on this year’s design concept with Cointelegraph. While digital art galleries and exhibitions are not a new concept, companies like Spatial have already implemented digital nonfungible token (NFT) art galleries. Even traditional art houses like Sotheby’s have been actively involved in hosting NFT art events. In Decentraland alone, there are six major art galleries hosted by renowned NFT marketplaces such as Rarible, SuperRare, and KnownOrigin.
What sets this event apart is the way visitors interact with the art. Decentraland anticipates significant engagement based on previous events like Metaverse Fashion Week, which attracted 108,000 unique visitors, according to the foundation. The quality of metaverse events and avatars has been a significant topic of discussion in the industry, especially after receiving feedback on the quality of avatars in events like Metaverse Fashion Week. Mark Zuckerberg of Meta recently faced criticism regarding the avatar quality in their new digital experiences.
Casimiro emphasized that addressing this concern is a top priority for the Decentraland team in developing these events. They have put this into practice through Opensea’s infinite gallery, where users can explore an interactive hall of constantly moving art. According to the team, the incorporation of such a mechanic in the metaverse is a first, and the community will have the opportunity to utilize it in the repository.
While digital art design can be captivating, accessibility remains an issue for new users. Industry experts recognize that education plays a crucial role in breaking down barriers to entry. Casimiro stated that creating accessibility and incorporating educational components in digital events are essential to keeping users engaged.
Interactive art galleries, poetry readings, and digital performances represent the next frontier in metaverse engagement. In July, metaverse infrastructure company Condense introduced new technology that allows live streaming of real-life events into the digital world.