The first public program for Micro-Folie Brisbane opens this weekend and visitors will be able to get up close to masterpieces from the likes of Edgard Degas, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Amedeo Modigliani and many more via a giant screen.
The free, interactive digital museum at The Cube on QUT’s Gardens Point campus showcases some of the of the world’s great artworks, cultural wonders, modern theatre and opera performance, architecture, fashion, and music.
A partnership between QUT and the Alliance Française de Brisbane, supported by La Villette, the French Ministry of Culture, and the French Embassy in Australia, Micro-Folie Brisbane was launched last month. An Australian-first, it offers easy, practical access to French art and culture for those who may not have the opportunity to visit France and other significant sites.
The Micro-Folie concept was launched in France in January 2017. Since then, more than 400 Micro-Folies have been installed in France and worldwide. QUT was chosen for its central location, accessibility to the public, engagement with schools and the world-class digital capacity and screen size of The Cube.
Twelve founding national cultural institutions collaborated on the program by giving free access to their collections: Centre Pompidou, Château de Versailles, Cité de la musique - Philharmonie de Paris, Avignon Festival, Institut du monde arabe, Louvre Museum, Picasso Museum, Musée d'Orsay, Musée du Quai Branly - Jacques-Chirac, Opéra de Paris, Réunion des musées nationaux et du Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées, Universcience and La Villette.
Gavin Winter, Manager of The Cube for QUT said the first stage of Micro-Folie Brisbane will see a collection of more than 2500 digital works of art available for screening on The Cube.
“Visitors interact using touch-screen consoles to capture the big screen and learn more about the artwork and browse complementary works in the collection,” Mr Winter said.
“Micro-Folie is a platform for people to learn about and experience art and culture from the world’s great institutions. With this partnership, QUT and The Cube are now part of a global network for sharing culture; a global stage to bring Australian art and culture to the world in a unique way.”
Alliance Française de Brisbane will collaborate with QUT to offer themed exhibitions, special events and activities with a French and European touch.
Prior to this weekend’s opening, a group of cognitively diverse people from the Endeavour Foundation were given an exclusive preview in a tour led by ARC Future Fellow Associate Professor Laurianne Sitbon, Academic Lead for Diversity and Inclusion in QUT’s School of Computer Science, Faculty of Science.
Associate Professor Sitbon’s Inclusive Technology research project aims to achieve better inclusion of people with intellectual disability through technology. Participants have been attending workshops at QUT in which they have been able to trial different technologies such as robots, screens, and tablets.
Micro-Folie Brisbane can be viewed on Screen 3 at The Cube from 10am-3pm Saturdays and Sundays.
Main image: participants in a cognitive inclusion research workshop at The Cube get an exclusive preview of Micro-Folie Brisbane. Photo: Tony Phillips
Media contact:
Amanda Weaver, QUT Media, 07 3138 3151, amanda.weaver@qut.edu.au
After hours: 0407 585 901, media@qut.edu.au
