Ivan Quaroni on Virtual Galleries: Aesthetic Experience vs. Digital Surrogates

In an interview, curator and critic Ivan Quaroni argues that virtual exhibitions serve as useful informational tools but cannot replicate the aesthetic experience of encountering original artworks. Drawing on Walter Benjamin's concept of the 'aura' tied to the 'Hic et Nunc' (here and now), Quaroni emphasizes that true aesthetic pleasure requires presence, time, and the observer's state of mind. He recounts personal experiences, such as viewing Paolo Uccello's frescoes in Florence's Chiostro Verde at sunset and visiting the Saatchi Collection in London, to illustrate the irreplaceable sensory and emotional impact of in-person viewing. Quaroni acknowledges the value of virtual galleries for learning and communication, comparing them to art history lectures or study, but insists they are preparatory, not substitutes. He warns against gimmicky interactive features, citing 'Van Gogh winking' as a poor example. The interview is part of a series on virtual galleries accelerated by the pandemic, published on Artribune.