The promotion of a work of art is based on making it known. For the public to become attached to a work, they must be able to appreciate its history, the events surrounding it, the place where it came from, what those who found it and the experts who worked on it have to say, from restoration to display.
In the case of the Riace Bronzes, and their display in the new layout in the New Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, many problems had to be solved:
The Riace Bronzes, like other major works of art, are well known, and communicating previously unreleased information to the public is problematic;
exhibition requirements provide for a maximum attendance limit, and a rotation of visitors, hence the formation of queues;
the importance of these works for the general public is tied to their magnificent appearance;
digi.Art has made a documentary on the Riace Bronzes for promotional and educational purposes. This is distributed in the Bronzes’ waiting room and can also be purchased by visitors at the bookshop of the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria.
Here is the promo:
Many operations were carried out to complete the documentary; these can be summarised in the following list: processing of the numerical models of the statues, animation of the numerical models of the statues, correction of the patina textures, creation of the files, programming of the files, video production and post-production from the numerical file.
As for the two textured three-dimensional numerical models, these were equipped with a digital skeleton, so that the two statues could move freely, maintaining the correct correspondence and deformation in the simulation of the muscles, in order not to incur disagreeable positioning errors.
During the digital reconstruction of the two statues, missing artefacts were integrated on the basis of a previously performed study hypothesis. This was done so that those watching the video are able to acquire a full understanding of the hypothetical original creation of the two statues. The surface of the numerical models corresponds in a credible way to that of the real statues, so as to maintain the highest possible standards as regards the scientific value of the operation.
The final product is a documentary, aimed at television and non-television audiences, and succeeds in achieving the right compromise between contemporary forms of communication and artistic, archaeological and scientific canons.