Now on Display in Downtown Clearwater
Residents and visitors to Clearwater will have an opportunity to experience a virtual reality presentation entitled “Dreams of Dali,” now through June 30. A unique partnership between the internationally renowned Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg and the City of Clearwater’s Community Redevelopment Agency will bring the Museum’s award-winning “Dreams of Dalí” virtual reality experience to Second Century Studios in Downtown Clearwater.
A public grand opening event of “Dreams of Dali” will be held on Friday, Jan. 25 coinciding with Downtown Clearwater’s Blast Friday, where guests can enjoy food from local restaurants, live music and entertainment.
The six-month installation is part of the Community Redevelopment Agency’s (CRA) broader initiative to support high-quality, participatory arts programming that showcases the unique assets of Downtown Clearwater and the surrounding area. This free and immersive experience will transport visitors into Salvador Dalí’s Surrealist painting Archaeological Reminiscence of Millet’s “Angelus” through virtual reality (VR) technology. The limited engagement installation is open to the public opened January 10 and will continue through June 30. It is currently the only “Dreams of Dalí” dedicated virtual reality experience outside of The Dalí Museum.
“This “Dreams of Dali” installation is a first-of-its-kind experience for Clearwater, providing residents and visitors alike an opportunity to engage in the arts through technology,” said Amanda Thompson, the City of Clearwater’s CRA director. “We’re thrilled to partner with The Dalí Museum to celebrate our downtown. With exhibits like Dreams of Dalí, Clearwater is establishing itself as the next great place to live, work and play.”
Recognizing the power of digital technology to create new avenues for audiences to engage in the arts, “Dreams of Dalí” originated in 2016 and is on permanent display in The Dalí Museum. The installation in Downtown Clearwater for the first half of 2019 is part of the Museum’s commitment to community engagement.
“We are delighted to partner with the Clearwater CRA to provide the community with a glimpse of the fantastical and surreal experiences The Dalí Museum has to offer,” said Hank Hine, executive director of The Dalí Museum. “The CRA is taking a progressive approach to invigorating their burgeoning downtown and we are thrilled to be one of their partners in showcasing the abundant cultural offerings in the Tampa Bay region. We hope Clearwater residents and visitors enjoy the immersive Dreams of Dalí virtual reality experience – a ‘taste of Dali’ – and are inspired to explore The Dalí Museum in all its splendor.”
In conjunction with Dreams of Dalí in virtual reality, the CRA will also feature pop-up programming each month at Second Century Studios at 331 Cleveland St. during the exhibit. The sponsor of the VR equipment featured in the innovative Dalí Museum installation is KnowBe4, a security awareness company located in Downtown Clearwater. Visit Downtown Clearwater website for hours, directions and details.
Do you enjoy yoga? The Dali in St Pete offers a regular yoga class. For more details click here. For showing information in St Pete check out this new exhibit. Featured photo (above) courtesy of the Dali featuring: “Daddy Longlegs”. Content provided by Jackie McCallum and the Dali Museum.