When we started working on theperforming portrait of Christina of Sweden we did not know, but in Italy in Calvi dell’Umbria there is a version of the work by the same author Voet, which partly takes up the face used by the painting on which we built our performing portrait.
However Francesco Verdinelli, councilor for culture of Calvi dell’Umbria, the town in whose museum the painting is housed, after seeing our digital work contacted us to ask us to exhibit it right in the same museum next to the original painting by Voet.
It was a real thrill to be in front of the original painting, not the same one used by us (here Cristina is portrayed in the form of Diana the huntress, therefore with a slightly different dress) but the face is the same on which we spent hours and hours of intense work. This time we were able to appreciate the work in its material reality. Excirting.
And so until 6 January 2022 it was possible for visitors to admire on a canvas placed right in front of the painting by Voet, a digital projection of the Queen’s face, which told her story.
We also took advantage of augmented reality to literally animate the real picture. It is in fact possible to frame it with the smartphone using an application, to see the canvas come to life. A truly unusual and fun experience.
This is an extract from the local TV news:
This is instead the work in augmented reality version as it was presented to the visitors of the exhibition.