Fortnite and Kaws bring art exhibition to the metaverse
In an exciting collaboration, American artist Kaws has teamed up with London’s Serpentine Gallery and online video game Fortnite to bring his renowned artwork to the metaverse. Could this be the most-attended art show ever?
The Serpentine Gallery in Fortnite
Kaws‘s exhibition, New Fiction, is currently on display at Serpentine North while simultaneously being shown within Fortnite Creative, making the work accessible to players and fans around the world.
Known for his unique mix of street art, graphic design and cartoonish sculptures, the New York native said in a Fortnite blog post: “This is an incredibly exciting project for me. I always like exploring new mediums for my art.
“The collaboration with Fortnite means everything is coming together in a complex exhibition that takes place in parallel realities. I want to thank the incredible teams at Fortnite and Serpentine."
Recreating the contemporary gallery was the genius of the team at BeyondCreative, supported by Alliance Studios, with the AR versions of the artwork developed by Acute Art.
“We are thrilled to work with such an incredible group of collaborators on this unique project that tests how Serpentine can enter the metaverse,” noted the gallery’s artistic director, Hans Ulrich Obrist, and chief exec Bettina Korek.
“This multi-dimensional project, accessible through virtual and physical portals, demonstrates the remarkable synergies between gaming, space and sensorial experience.“
This is the second partnership between Fornite and Kaws, but the first time it has made a real-world art exhibit available virtually to millions of players.
“Art and creative culture inspire our players on a daily basis and we are thrilled that this partnership will bring the work of Kaws to an even more diverse global audience,” added Nate Nanzer, vice-president of global partnerships at Fortnite owner Epic Games.
“This is a space we plan to continue to invest in over the coming years,“ he added.