GROUP SHOW WITH JULIAN OPIE
VENICE TRANSFORMED
CONSERVATORIO DI MUSICA, PALAZZO PISANI, VENICE, ITALY
9 MAY – 23 NOVEMBER 2025
VENICE_TRANSFORMED
„CONNECTING ART_ARCHITECTURE”
19TH ARCHITECTURAL BIENNIAL VENICE
The world premiere of Julian Opie´s Virtual reality installation OP.VR/Venice, is one of the highlights of this show. The artist developed an ad hoc virtual reality installation for the occasion. Guests are invited to immerse themselves in the Venetian alleys, without having to walk around the city. An innovative work pushing the boundaries between reality and representation.
For the 2025 Venice Biennale, Julian Opie presents OP.VR/Venice, a pioneering virtual reality installation that expands his ongoing exploration of perception, space, and technology. Known for continually pushing the boundaries between reality and representation, Opie, in his work, constructs a fully immersive, digital exhibition experience.
OP.VR/Venice invites visitors into an immersive digital environment installed within a minimal, low-walled architectural structure. With the use of wireless VR headsets, viewers enter a virtual gallery space that simulates real-world architecture while existing entirely in the digital realm. Julian Opie’s new VR Venice installation constructs a single, continuous environment inspired by the winding layout of Venetian alleys and canals. Designed as a one-directional path, the experience allows multiple visitors to move through in a flowing sequence, creating the impression of a much larger world within a compact 12 x 12 meter footprint. Along the route, viewers pass through courtyards, cross a virtual bridge, and even enter a palace, encountering artworks integrated into the digital architecture. The immersive drawing-like environment emphasizes spatial illusion and the sensation of walking within a living sketch. Each visit lasts approximately three minutes, with up to four participants navigating the space at a time.
Curated by Gisela Winkelhofer.