Digital Curation & World-Building: Creating Virtual Environments

I’m expanding my curatorial practice into new digital territories—exploring how emerging technologies can shape the future of exhibition-making and artistic collaboration. My current focus lies in the intersection of AI-generated aesthetics, 3D and VR environments, and performative digital practices, and how these can be curated in ways that are both critically engaging and experientially rich.

I’m particularly interested in creating bespoke virtual spaces—experimental online environments that serve as platforms for creative exchange, collaboration, and the showcasing of new art forms such as AI art, NFTs, video, and animation. These digital spaces are not just galleries, but immersive worlds that invite interaction, imagination, and dialogue.

As part of this evolving practice, I’m currently researching the aesthetics of AI art, with plans underway for a forthcoming exhibition and event that will explore the poetics, politics, and possibilities of machine-generated creativity.

Below are prototype examples of research using Art Steps, Jonnie Turpie PHD exhibition, designed to demonstrate curatorial ideas ahead of installation (Left) and final exhibition (right).

Commissioned by Creative Art Showcase to curate an ambitious pop up exhibition featuring the work of over 90 artists from West Midlands, UK and Europe. Selection was virtual from photographs and text, and I did not have access to physical objects until the installation days and I wanted to find a digital solution to help realise the layout and design. I researched virtual spaces inspired by Little Geeks Ozone development, and found Art Steps a free online space to create virtual exhibitions.

Little Geeks Ozone for Midlands Arts Centre

Created following in depth research during the pandemic, on the possibilities of creating a fun interactive online space for children to engage in arts and cultural activities, a new zone of activity that would compliment the physical festival in 2021.

I had noticed the rise in high fashion brands, academia and cultural organisations using gaming platforms to create events for example Balenciaga and Factory International in Fortnite and academic conferences in Animal Crossing.

I was interested in creating a space which could be developed for your young people to showcase their creative work, live stream videos and animation, have school exchanges and potentially play fun games.

Prototyping and testing by Sonya Russell-Saunders using preset Mozilla Hubs importing images and 3D objects. Working to a brief of digital nature and inspired by 70s sci fi films, the space was professionally created in low poly res by STEAMhouse.