De Chirico Metaphysical Art AR

Augmented Reality (AR) art gallery with music composed and performed on the art of Giorgio de Chirico by Dr Svetlana Rudenko. Explore music art soundscapes based on the works of Italian artist and writer De Chirico (1888-1978). Born in Greece, De Chirico founded the art movement of Metaphysical Art (1910-1920), inspired by traditions of symbolism and surrealism and at the same time reflecting on the mythology of his birthplace. He believed that juxtaposing elements and objects refresh our perception and give metaphysical meaning to familiar surroundings. Every object has a symbolical meaning. Svetlana Rudenko’s music reflects on the atmosphere of the paintings and their metaphysical feel. Carl Jung said about de Chirico’s painting Anxious Journey: “The title and gloomy passages of the painting express the nature of the first contact with the unconscious when the individuation process begins. The unconscious is often symbolized by corridors, labyrinths, or mazes.” (The Process of Individuation by M.-L. von Franz in Carl Jung’ s Man and his Symbols, Random House, 1968, p. 176)

De Chirico lived and painted in the Italian city of Ferrara, and many of his paintings feature scenes and elements from the city. This app lets you explore the city of Ferrara with music of 10 episodes of De Chirico’s digital gallery AR: Turin Spring, 1914; The Philosopher’s Conquest, 1914; The Anxious Journey, 1913; Italian Plaza with Equestrian Statue, 1916; The Soothsayer’s Recompense, 1913; The Evangelical Still Life II, 1917; Hermes’ Meditation, 1918; The Great Metaphysician, 1917; The Disquieting Muses, 1916; The Serenity of Scholar, 1914.

The app has two modes: site-specific and random. In site-specific mode, the experience is set in Ferrara, Italy. In random mode, it will stage itself to any location in the world, e.g., a park.

Music is dedicated to Prof. Mads Haahr, CEO and Creative Director of Haunted Planet Studios.