TOOLS: ART SPACE

press release

A new platform, Art Space, created at Vidzeme University in Latvia is available as a download here for Windows.

Its purpose is to present the history of artistic styles in modern gaming in an innovative and interactive way. The authors of the game are researcher Ieva Gintere and new media artists Kristaps Biters & Ieva Vīksne (Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Art Academy of Latvia, Liepāja University, Latvia). Art Space is a sophisticated new digital media prototype based on research results into modern art theory. The game can function as a model for similar games in the future that would show the results of artistic research and transfer knowledge gained in research. Art Space reflects the ideas of game theorists who contend that in order to raise curiosity concerning cultural heritage in games, one should invite the player to individually form artifacts or customized characters. This approach can effectively attract people to educational games since creation is a powerful key in eliciting emotions. Objects that the player of Art Space will individually form, are linked to aesthetics, and the game is designed as a story that reveals the historical background of the styles and effects chosen by the player.

Art Space functions in the intersection of educational games, serious games, and art games. The game has several tasks. It incorporates and explains the artistic codes of modern art, and functions as an informative platform for the player. It is intended to marry the activities of the general public of players with the heritage of modern art and its historical keys.

Art Space is innovative since there are no research-based games of modern aesthetics that incorporate the historical context of digital art and transfer the knowledge of contemporary art to players in a systematic and comprehensive way. Art Space is an educational instrument with the aim of capturing specific knowledge from contemporary art that is otherwise difficult to transfer to the general public.

The project will develop knowledge of modern artifacts and their appreciation as well as awareness of cultural capital. The strategy of knowledge transfer in the project will develop the audience’s ability to evaluate the artifacts and cultivate their aesthetic taste. The project expects that by expanding a society’s collective consciousness people will be able to better coexist with artistic styles which are a natural part of contemporary culture.

Prototype of the virtual environment (Windows version) is available here

For additional information, please contact 

Ieva Gintere
Dr.art., Researcher, Assistant Professor
Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Cēsu iela 4, Valmiera, LV 4201, Latvia 

This project was supported by a grant from the European Regional Development Fund project “Leveraging ICT product innovations by enhancing codes of modern art” No. 1.1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/106 within the Activity 1.1.1.2 “Post-doctoral Research Aid”.