Art Zoom: Music superstars take you on a global cultural tour
The common thread between J.Balvin, Ellie Goulding, FKA twigs, Grimes, Matty Healy from The 1975 and Chaeyoung from TWICE beyond being global music icons? They’re all starring in the new season of Google Arts & Culture’s Art Zoom series, which takes viewers on a guided tour of some of the world’s most famous masterpieces through the narration of famous musicians. Through Google’s “gigapixel” Art Camera—a robotic camera custom-made to create the highest possible resolution images of paintings—you can zoom into an artwork at brushstroke-level detail and explore its hidden depths.
This second season, our musical guides invite you to embark on a world tour across art history starting from the European Renaissance with Bruegel’s daunting vision of hell to Botero’s modern Colombia and Youngkuk’s Korean mountains.
Journey through Renaissance Belgium with Grimes, who takes us on a lively exploration of Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s “The Fall of Rebel Angels”—an apocalyptic yet comic vision of monsters invading Earth as angels struggle to repel them.
Join FKA twigs’ expedition to brighter spaces as she takes on Artemisia Gentileschi’s “Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy.” She observes Mary Magdalene as she appears to enjoy a moment of peaceful oblivion.
Explore love, peace and calm with Ellie Goulding through her musings on “escapism” in Julie Mehretu’s piece to “strength” with Yves Klein and “chaos” with Cy Twombly.
Fast forward in time with Matty Healy to the 20th century. Starting in Italy, we dive into Piet Mondrian’s “Grande composizione A con nero, rosso, grigio, giallo e blu.” Healy sees this abstract masterpiece as an “infinite portal” of interpretations, taking us beyond the real world into the corners of our mind.
Transport to Medellin, Colombia with J.Balvin, who shares the untold story behind Fernando Botero’s “July 20th.” Beyond the joyful colors, he sheds light on the gloomy faces of the painting’s characters, and the role of art as a safe space in dark times.
Travel to Korea, with TWICE lead-singer Chaeyoung hiking to the top of Yoo Youngkuk’s “Mountain,” where she questions his interpretation of nature, one made of strong colors, shades, flowy lines and touchable textures.
Ready for more? Check out the first season featuring Jarvis Cocker and Feist to Maggie Rogers, Lolo Zouaï and Girl in Red. Explore Art Zoom online at g.co/ArtZoom, or download our free app on Android or iOS.
