The exhibition Seeing Loud: Basquiat and Music, on view at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) from October 15, 2022, to February 19, 2023, immerses visitors in Jean-Michel Basquiat’s world of music and art. It succeeds in this aim not only through its inventive exhibition design and musical landscape but also through an augmented reality app custom-made for the exhibition.


Designed and developed by Dpt., a Montreal-based studio specialized in creating immersive experiences, the Basquiat and Music app enhances the exhibition with interactive content that complements about 20 of the artworks on display. Equipped with their smartphones and earphones, visitors are transported to New York of the 1970s and 80s – the setting of Basquiat’s art making – where they discover the artist’s musical influences, view stage reconstructions from that period, and learn more about the symbols that adorn several of the exhibited paintings.


Simple and fun, the app also allows the user to take pictures of their Museum visit for them to remember and share. Its content is offered in French and English.



Notes:
- An Internet connection is required to use the app. The MMFA’s Wi-Fi network is free and accessible throughout the Museum.
- The MMFA recommends the use of earphones for certain features of the app.
- Visitors must have their own smartphones and earphones on hand to use the app. Listening devices are not available for rent on site.



The exhibition Seeing Loud: Basquiat and Music was organized by the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Musée de la musique – Philharmonie de Paris.