The Scream Art Experience
• 4-star rating
• PCVR
• Art, Education, Museums
• Moderate Comfort, Roomscale
If you want to take a dip into a virtual reality interpretation of Norwegian painter Edvard Munch's backstory and his most celebrated art, expect dramatic and occasionally scary visual effects underscored by an anxiety-ridden soundtrack.
Things begin simply enough, with a viewing a nicely detailed recreation of The Scream mounted to a gallery wall but things go off track quickly. Parts of the painting begin to quiver as you feel an urge to reach out and touch to find out more. We'll save the contents of this ten minute experience for you to discover for yourself, though we will let you know that there are several entertaining and sometimes unnerving animated scenes, underpinned by narrations describing events in Munch's difficult life.
Virtual Reality is well used to surround you and encourage you to interact in a number of ways. We were particularly impressed with some of the little details that are included, such as motes of ash that disappear in a small puff of smoke when they land on your hand. We regret that the experience isn't longer, but it fits perfectly as a museum exhibit, for which we assume it is designed.
The only minor downside of this experience is that the VR room space is set up poorly. Everything is presented at a height best suited for a seated experience, yet at times it requires you to reach out in a way you can only do when standing. Secondly, the program centers its content 90 degrees to the left of your preferred viewing position making you have to reset your view to make things work. It also doesn't help that there is no snap-turning available to the viewer either.
The Scream is a fun, if brief experience that makes you appreciate a popular work of art in a different way and makes you want to learn more about the artist and his other works.
✅ Imaginative reinterpretation of The Scream.
✅ Good use of VR.
❌ Short experience.
❌ Some minor viewing and interaction issues.
• Languages: English, French, German
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