Veno Pilon Gallery: Studio Reconstruction and VR Experience Development

The project in Ajdovščina started with a very simple question: how do you show visitors who the artist was – not just what he created?

Starting point: limited material, strong opportunity

We had only a few personal objects and a handful of rare photographs of the studio.

These photographs were not just references, but a starting point for thinking about how to present the studio in a more meaningful way. A classic reconstruction would have meant sourcing replacement objects and creating a “museum copy”. This would quickly feel artificial and forced.

So we chose a different approach.

The solution: photographs as space, not as exhibition

We enlarged the photographs and integrated them directly into the space.
Not as panels – but as part of the studio itself.

The result:

• the space remains open and intimate
• nothing feels artificially added
• visitors get the feeling they are standing in the artist’s real space and time

With fewer elements, we achieved a stronger sense of place – a space where the artist actually worked.

From the beginning, we also considered that the same space would host a VR experience. This made a calm and minimal setup even more important. The physical space does not compete with the digital experience – it supports and complements it.

Our approach (used across projects)

We followed a clear sequence:

1. First: the space

Not as a set, but as a working environment – one that already tells a story. Based on archives, testimonies and collaboration with the client, we shaped the studio so that:

• it feels used, not “museum sterile”
• it shows process, not just results
• it tells a story on its own
• visitors intuitively understand: this is where things were made

2. Then: the story

Not as explanation, but as subtle guidance:

• no information overload
• no “museum lecture”
• enough space for personal interpretation

3. Only then: technology

When the space has meaning, technology is no longer a gimmick.

VR as an extension, not a trick

Once the space and story were clear, technology gained purpose.

The VR experience allows visitors to take a step further –
into another time, another moment.

In VR:

• the studio comes to life – previously black-and-white photographs can be explored through different visual styles inspired by Pilon’s works
• the space gains sound, rhythm and atmosphere – visitors hear quotes from Veno Pilon in five languages
• visitors experience a presence that cannot be created in the physical space alone
• selected artworks are presented within the experience

VR is not mandatory. It is a choice. An upgrade. Something that deepens the experience rather than replacing it. It also allows the studio experience to be presented in other contexts (events, exhibitions, fairs).

What the project delivered

The final result is not just an exhibition or a piece of technology, but a complete experience that:

• connects space, story and contemporary interpretation
• remains respectful to the original content
• creates a space that tells its own story
• adds a digital layer that deepens engagement
• provides a solution the gallery can use long-term
• works for different visitor types (schools, tourists, individuals)

Key takeaway

A strong experience does not come from technology, but from understanding the space and the story. Technology can be powerful, but only when it supports a clear idea and the feeling we want to create. By first understanding the space – its limits and its potential – and the story we want to tell, we can create an experience that feels natural, authentic and long-lasting. In this context, technology is not the goal, but a tool that allows visitors to go one step further.

Additional project outputs

As part of the project, we also:

• created a tactile version of the artwork My Father
• developed a tactile replica of Veno Pilon’s palette
• digitised more than 300 works by Veno Pilon