Unquiet Postures. Augmented Reality in the Exhibition Spaces of Sculptural Bodies

The essay documents the results and subsequent developments of a two-year research project dedicated to the exhibition enhancement of ancient statuary contained in the National Archaeological Museum of Venice. Beginning with specific Greek and Roman models study, characterized by evident signs of physiognomic discontinuity, the digital photogrammetry application with Structure from Motion algorithms allowed the free form of the bodies to be reconstructed, generating digital twins in which the use of mesh surfaces, mapped with ultra-high-resolution textures, allowed non-invasive intervention in highlighting the breakage signs and stratifications present in the artifacts. In line with the direction of the museum’s intent to completely rethink the exhibition spaces, the digital twins produced allowed for experimentation with new set-up forms and fruition paths of the existing rooms. The design proposals, made by the authors, aims to enhance artifacts, increasing their signifies through those innovations offered by ICT that hybridize the tangible dimension of the statues with the potential of their virtualization. HoloLens, wearable holographic devices, allow users to interact with multimedia content while remaining anchored in the anthropic environment that becomes an integral part of the user experience. Thus, the augmented and mixed reality dimensions make it possible to reproduce a hologram of the statue, being able to animate it with just the movement of the hand. These technologies have been integrated in setting-up projects to enhance the interaction and understanding of the artistic and cultural heritage, in real storytelling capable of involving the public in the cognitive observation process of ancient statuary.