The Whitney Museum of American Art presented Refigured: A Virtual Conversation and Tour as the first event in its new virtual space. Designed in collaboration with Ian Culley, Jessica Tan and Ross Clugston the digital program was led by Christiane Paul, Curator of Digital Art at the Whitney, and hosted on Mozilla Hubs.

Paul guided several of the exhibit’s artists—Morehshin Allahyari, American Artist, Zach Blas, Auriea Harvey, and Rachel Rossin—in a discussion about Refigured, encouraging them to talk about their work and explore the relationship between physical and virtual realities. The program focused on how the artists reimagined material forms and bodies to create new ways of thinking about identity. Visitors were invited to watch a livestream on Zoom and explore the artworks in the virtual space after the conversation.

“As digital technology shaped our daily lives, we were excited to offer public programs in a virtual world that reflected this evolution and fit with the artists’ work,” said Paul. “We looked forward to future discussions in virtual venues.”

“Partnering with the Whitney unlocked new access to the art world, allowing viewers to reflect on the intersections and differences between physical and virtual realities. This collaboration reimagined how we experience art without the limits of physical space.”

The team used the Whitney’s spirit as a metaphor to capture the building’s structure, philosophy, and environment, creating a new digital space. The virtual design incorporated light, reflections, and materials from the real world, using asymmetrical forms and industrial structures to create a sculptural presence that embraced the limitless digital realm.

For more information on the exhibit and the partnership between the Whitney Museum and Ian Culley, Ross Clugston, and Jessica Tan, visit: https://whitney.org/events/refigured-a-virtual-conversation.