SFMOMA curator shares art app picks

Peter Samis, Associate Curator of Interpretation at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, gave a sampling of his favorite art-viewing applications at a panel today at Macworld. The following are apps that go beyond the "shovel ware" of third-party art viewers and "brochure ware" many museums are putting out that offer only a "flat," "two-dimensional" perspective on the works.

1: UVaM (University of Virginia Art Museum)

Comparable to the Elements, which Samis reccommends as a "best practice application" to any developer, this UVaM app allows users to explore a selection of ancient sculptures from their collection. Users can rotate the object in multiple dimensions. "It's very kinetic."

"The quality of the photography is so superb." It also has large enough type to be enjoyed by a couple people, leaned-back. Also, it's free.

2: Edition29 THE MUSEUM (Edition29 website)

"Imagine what the magazine of the future could be," Samis invites us.

This "glossy luxury art mag" really exploits its medium. Many of the articles have a soundtrack, often the option of audio-commentary by the architects themselves. Many of the photographs, which in a brochure would be static, have a gentle Ken BurnsKen Burns effect or are actually videos, with a subtle, stunning, kinetic element.

"They're really thinking about what's it going to take to move you. You're immersed in the world," he said. However, Samis admits that this particular magazine sometimes verges on "architecture porn." (When he says "glossy," you get the sense that it's a little pejorative.)

3: MoMA AB EX NY

New York's Museum of Modern Art digitized selections from its exhibit "Abstract Expressionist New York." The app includes videos and an interactive map, but Samis especially appreciates it for the degree to which it allows the user to explore the paintings.

"I can zoom in way down to the level of the brushwork, and you can really explore any of these surfaces in great depth and detail."

The app is also particularly nice because it includes a lot of relatively new art, which is rare because it requires a license. Stanley Smith, Head of Collection Information and Access, said because of this, "you tend to see a falldown in quality when you get to the newer stuff."

For more of Allvoices' coverage of Macworld | iWorld 2012, check out allvoices.com/macworld2012.