From physical to virtual art exhibitions and beyond: Survey and some issues for consideration for the metaverse

This manuscript addresses the increasing importance of Extended Reality (XR) in art exhibitions. It elaborates on the technologies employed, design issues, pertinent aims, and evaluation metrics. The main research questions concern the types of technologies currently used, the primary design considerations, and the ways user experience can be enhanced in accordance with the artists' and curators' vision, aFs well as visitors' needs. Moreover, the paper also examines relevant evaluation criteria. The manuscript reviews the types of technologies used for virtual art exhibitions and examines their design characteristics and pertinent issues on interfaces, resources, and affordances. Furthermore, an analysis of the use of virtual humans as a model for increased engagement follows a discussion of a comparison between virtual versus physical exhibitions. Moreover, the parameters that affect user experience are discussed thoroughly, given their pivotal importance in such exhibitions. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of the above-mentioned aspects of XR exhibitions with an emphasis on optimizing design for art-related content and offering informed suggestions for future directions. The overall scope of this paper is to examine ways to exploit XR as a creative medium rather than merely replicate physical exhibitions. In this context, the papers' discussion includes the Metaverse.(c) 2023 Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.