Forget Pokemon Go, Google’s new AR-t gallery lets you check out Rembrandt’s classics
Google’s released a new “Colour” collection for its Arts and Culture app that lets you check out a load of classic paintings and sculptures in augmented reality (AR).
The Colour collection went live on Wednesday and is available on the app now as a Pocket Gallery. The Arts and Culture app launched last year and let users see how a wealth of paintings by Vermer look in AR. The new collection is based around the concept of colour and brings fresh works from numerous artists including Rembrandt and Bridgett Riley.
To check it out all you have to do is download the Art and Culture app to a compatible ARCore phone, launch it and click on the colour collection. From there the virtual environment will pop up and let you check out the famous works in four rooms, each representing a different colour, in AR.
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When you find a piece you like the app will bring up key information about it, making it a great educational tool for younglings as well.
“In ‘The Art of Color,’ you can explore four rooms of paintings that each represent a different color palette—you’ll also find a dark room that juxtaposes Rembrandt’s masterpiece The Night Watch with the Op art mastery of Bridget Riley,” explained the Google blog post.
“The gallery also has a series of playful geometric shapes and vibrant colors that complement the paintings inside. The new Pocket Gallery features art from 33 partner institutions across four continents, and allows you to learn about works of many different eras and styles.”
AR is an increasingly common tech. It’s used to power popular games including Pokemon Go and Harry Potter Wizards Unite.
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The new gallery is part of a wider push by Google to boost it’s Augmented and virtual reality offering for schools. The company’s released a number of virtual environments bespoke design for schools over the last couple of years. These Google Daydream virtual classrooms in famous art galleries and the International Space Station. Google Daydream is the company’s virtual reality platform.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.