Since the whole pandemic has started, people were forced to stay indoors, resulting in thousands of museums, cultural institutions, festivals and global happenings to be temporarily closed or limited, leaving behind empty streets and a restless public. In a sector that thrives on in-person connection, the loss of an audience is disastrous. However that’s not where the art scene stops. Resilient artists and galleries - even the biggest art fairs like Art Basel - have been expanding their digital arena, utilizing streaming services and new technology like virtual reality. This new norm of social distancing is allowing technology to open new doors for people. 

In a sense, this pandemic is ushering in a golden age of virtual media, offering new life and unprecedented access to some of the world’s cultural touchstones, some previously financially or physically inaccessible. While the world has never felt more physically isolated, digital media have offered a bridge, as well as an exciting range of experiences to both existing art lovers and newcomers. In Hong Kong, Art Basel’s Online Viewing Rooms project has been launched even before the outbreak in response to the fair’s cancellation back in 2020. The acceleration and expansion in virtual fair enabled galleries and artists to walk through an actual art exhibition experience with potential customers. While no one can travel, this blockbuster has given people opportunities to reconnect with art again, which is one of the most human-like cultural experiences. 

Exhibition digitalization and virtualization may never replace the actual feeling of visiting galleries and fairs, but it is definitely possible to reach beyond traditional structures and reach different audiences, which is a great plus for the art industry. Before the pandemic, the digital space was treated as an add on plan for perhaps expanding the audience beyond the reach of physical spaces. Since physical spaces are no longer an option now, the cultural sector is rushing to adapt events, exhibitions and experiences for an entirely digital-first audience. Almost everyone has a mobile phone and computer at home, but very few have traditional VR headsets, or conferencing tools that can easily be streamed at home. For artists that also want to become digital innovators, this is the moment to push the limit of our creative and technical vision, and a chance to openly experiment. As we always say, Art is for Everyone.