Introduction
More than twenty years ago, digital technology began to influence the humanities sector. Assisted by the National Taiwan University, the Academia Sinica, as well as Taiwanese and international scholars, the National Palace Museum initiated a digitalization scheme and generated digitized images, metadata, 3D animations, an online museum, 8K high definition videos and open data, while adopting human-machine interactions, immersive technology, 5G transmission, artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR). Museum objects recognized with multiple international awardsare displayed with a wide variety of digitization that showcases the new perspectives of the 21st century museum.
To provoke the audience's interest in digital humanities, AI technology is applied in learning the painting techniques of European masters, which the "Impressions of Fu-Chun" immersive theater is generated as a computer-painted version of Dwelling in the Fu-chun Mountains. The Dwelling in the Fu-Chun Mountains is painted by Huang Kung-wang (1269-1354) to depict his ideal landscape after enjoying nature. The interpretations of nature through art by Monet, Cézanne and Van Gogh in more recent centuries are incorporated for comparison. Modern technology is used to build a contemporary landscape that embodies the interpretive focus of this exhibition: an appreciation of artistic styles. This exhibition includes three immersive set designs that "camouflage objects in the scene" to provide the audience with the most instagrammable experience in response to today's social media trend. The sections are "National Treasure Illustrated", "An Underwater World of Fantasy" and "The Illusive Landscape".
The concept of the entrance derives from Emperor Hui-tsung's (1082-1135) calligraphy, Poem, where he describes butterflies dancing along a fragrant footpath. Poetically and interactively, the butterflies are projected onto a path that will lead the audience through all four sections of the exhibition: "Around the World in History", "An Underwater World of Fantasy", "Impressions of Fu-Chun" and "A Planet of Dreams". Enjoy an adventure of a wondrous 21st century landscape, and explore the digitized work in animated artifacts, a digital collection, new media and the Museum of Tomorrow.