ARt-Z: Unlock the Unseen (AR-enhanced art for Gen Z)

This exhibition, as a research-led pilot project by Zeyu Zhao, presents 10 digitised paintings from the V&A’s Chinese Export Watercolours (CEW)
Collection, a remarkable body of work created by Chinese artists for export to European and North American markets in the 18th and 19th
centuries. These paintings capture intricate details of Chinese flora, fauna, and daily life, which reflect cross-cultural artistic exchanges of the time.

By integrating augmented reality (AR), the exhibition offers a new way to experience historical artworks. Visitors can uncover hidden details, witness
animations, and engage with interactive storytelling. Blending tradition with digital innovation, it invites audiences to explore these paintings beyond
the frame and extend their engagement beyond the gallery space. 

This exhibition is funded by the UCL Centre for Humanities Education (CHE) Technology Stream Fund and the UCL Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) Octagon Small Grants Fund.

About the curator

Zeyu Zhao is a doctoral student at Department of Information Studies, UCL. Her research, supervised by Dr Jin Gao, Dr Kaitlyn Regehr and Dr Photini Vrikki, explores how digital tools shape audience engagement with museum exhibitions.