Scottish park recreated in Minecraft to allow virtual visits

Players can admire and even build artwork virtually if they’re unable to visit, Sam Hancock writes

Jupiter Artland as it has been recreated in the popular video game Minecraft (PA)

A contemporary sculpture park in Scotland has been recreated in the video game Minecraft, allowing people to forgo travel restrictions and explore it virtually.

It comes as Jupiter Artland, which sits on more than 100 acres just outside of Edinburgh, prepares to reopen to local members on Thursday and to local visitors from 5 April following the easing of coronavirus restrictions.

The park features artists’ work including Sir Antony Gormley, Sir Anish Kapoor, Charles Jencks and Ian Hamilton Finlay – all of which have been recreated virtually to sit in “Minecraft Artland”.

Visitors to the online park are also given the opportunity to build their own creations, which will culminate in a sculpture competition where the winner’s design is given a permanent place in the digital park.

Eleanor Edmondson, Jupiter Artland’s digital arts and marketing co-ordinator, said: “It is amazing to see young people engage with the Artland in a whole new way, a little slice of Jupiter magic from home.

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“Jupiter Artland in Minecraft combines the otherworldly magic of the Artland with the aesthetics of Minecraft – exceptional artworks by Antony Gormley, Anya Gallaccio, Tania Kovats and Charles Jencks have been painstakingly recreated with the well-known Minecraft blocks.”

She added: “Emerging from a year like no other, Minecraft provides a familiar and safe platform for children to learn about art.”

The Minecraft version of Jupiter Artland was first created in 2016 at the hand of Dr Tom Flint, from Edinburgh Napier University, and students, but initially could only be accessed inside the park.

Minecraft is a popular game which encourages players to build using blocks, here allowing users to build trees and statues for the online park (PA)

But last year’s lockdown inspired the team to make Minecraft Artland accessible from anywhere to give people an opportunity to engage with art, even while museums and galleries were shut under Covid stay-home regulations.

Claire Feeley, head of exhibitions and learning programmes at Jupiter Artland, said: “Creativity is essential for young people’s wellbeing and, during lockdown, platforms like Jupiter Artland in Minecraft allow kids of all ages to test their design skills. Sixty-five per cent of young people entering primary school today will work in an entirely new job that doesn't yet exist.

A sculpture inspired by Sir Antony Gormley’s “Firmament”, which sits in the real-life park, appears on the virtual version (PA)

“In this new world, digital creativity is a valuable skill and at Jupiter we are supporting young people in their learning journeys.”

A digital Minecraft Easter egg hunt is also running.

Jupiter Artland was founded in 2009 by philanthropist art collectors Robert and Nicky Wilson, and is home to more than 30 permanent and unique site-specific sculptures.

Gardeners mow the grass on the Cells of Life landforms, created by landscape architect Charles Jeneks, which is one of the site-specific sculptures in the grounds of Jupiter Artland (PA)

Nicola Sturgeon announced earlier this month that Scotland’s stay-home order will be lifted on 2 April and replaced with “stay local” guidance.

The first minister also confirmed hairdressers and some additional non-essential shops such as garden centres could reopen days later on 5 April – when Jupiter Artland plans to reopen its gates.

Ms Sturgeon said that falling infections had left her “the most hopeful I have felt about the situation for a long time”, but warned: “the route back to normality does depend on continued suppression.”

“Gateway”, an intricately designed swimming pool by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, is unveiled at Jupiter Artland in 2019 (PA)

She said the devolved government was aiming to remove travel restrictions and further open the economy by 26 April, with hopes of ending most lockdown measures by the end of June.

A decision on when people can meet indoors has not yet been finalised and time would be taken to monitor how the changes affect the transmission of the disease, Ms Sturgeon said.

However, it is hoped that four people from two households will be able to meet inside by 17 May.