Virtual art gallery mimics and defies reality

Digital artists don't typically have many choices for where they can exhibit their work: they either have to ground their pieces in the real world or else put it in a fantastical virtual space that may be a little too strange. Cameron Buckley and Daniel Smith may have struck a better balance, though. Their Paper-Thin gallery is meticulously designed to look like a real building, but lets artists run wild within the spaces they get. It's theoretically a best-of-both-worlds approach -- you can explore creative new concepts without feeling lost.

Buckley and Smith plan to stay true to that blend of realistic and outlandish design, too. They're focused on filling out the rooms, and hope to enlist an architect for future expansions. It's doubtful this will become the virtual art gallery to visit, but it could serve as a model for other galleries trying to find a balance that will bring in plenty of viewers.