Bidding for Glasnost: Sotheby's 1988 Auction in Moscow

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Bidding for glasnost: Sotheby’s 1988 auction in Moscow

Brief:

Create and produce a VR illustration for exhibitions narrative that tells a story of the only Sotheby’s auction in the USSR.

Wonder-approach:

For the very first time in the history of art Up’n’Beyond have created a VR exhibition combining the three:

(1) bringing together immersive narrative and interactive journey;

(2) rebuilding a historic venue;

(3) opportunity to control reality with your own hands.

An exciting virtual journey transports visitors to the original venue to witness the event immersing them into the late 1980s Soviet context, as well as offering to take part in the bidding itself. Participants have a choice to either take part in the sale as a Western art-dealer struggling for a new gem for his or her clients collections; or attend it as a Soviet citizen who was not permitted to bid under the legislation of the time. The later can only imagine the myriads of socialistic goods that could be bought for the price of a single lot. The virtual reality features the renowned auctioneer Simon de Pury “live” who, just like 30 years ago, amidst a cacophony of European languages, prices rising every second, will be directing the sale with the grace of a conductor in front of a choir.