Eric Fischl’s debut exhibition at Victoria Miro in Venice is titled Bathers and is organised by Vortic Artists Projects in association with the gallery. Four brand-new, large-scale painted bronze reliefs that were created from virtual paintings are displayed together in this intimate presentation. Fischl has never used virtual reality in his work before, but his partnership with Vortic dates back to 2022.

‘Working backwards from the newest VR technology to the age-old process of bronze casting represents the journey these sculptures have taken. No question about it, we live in an age of technological wonder, and being able to bring together these two disparate technologies is irresistible to me as an artist.’ – Eric Fischl

Processed by Vortic, the Tilt Brush files were sent to Pangolin Editions, the experimental foundry in Gloucestershire, UK, where they were translated into bronze sculptures through a pioneering process. This involved 3D printing the images into sections, painting wax to mimic the texture of paint, casting these parts in bronze, and then welding the artwork back together. The final stage involved Fischl hand-painting the finished compositions. Progressing from digital canvas to physical bronze, ranging from 1.7 to 2 metres in height, Fischl animated each work with a vibrancy that resonates throughout his painting practice.