NODEM 2014 Proceedings

The Widget Art Gallery – A Gallery 2.0
Figure 5. Rollin Leonard’s sculpture at the WAG osx-dashboard. “He has the idea
to make replicas of Greek bust as artifacts of latex and make them jiggle with
an internal motor. He never got around to doing that, but after looking at WAG’s
space the artist was reminded of my plan to animate the bust. This project is the
outcome of that idea”
The WAG interior design I have created is inspired by a minimal room of a ninth-century building from which
I took a picture of a real empty room. I believe he physical view/frame I have used and figured inside the digital
device helps people understand and contextualize better the virtual artwork inside the mobile space. This is
not a paradox in showing digital art, but in this way the digital environment provides a reference space, a sort
of coordinates for the eyes. Furthermore, the real setting picture establishes an illusory axis between the mobile
space and the virtual artwork during the show.
Figure 6. Helen Hadamidou’s installation at the WAG osx-dashboard. Seven flat
morphed screens displaying the artist’s face affected by a virus are moving
frantically up against the gallery’s walls
I have chosen to build the WAG as a web-app cross-platform and device, using the html5 language and
JavaScript, in order not to depend on any virtual store; in fact, I am free to make updates every time I need.
I just wanted to create a virtual gallery accessible to everybody by simply using an Internet connection.
So, the Widget Art Gallery is a free Mobile Web-based App (licensed under the Creative Commons) and works
online through this link: http://www.chiarapassa.it/wag/
NODEM 2014 Conference & Expo
101