Unit Two – Learning Objective 1
Learning Objective One
Develop and realise a self directed programme of learning which draws from wide-ranging subject knowledge. (AC Knowledge, AC Process)
Background
Over the course of Unit 1, I developed a Study Statement that has informed large parts of Unit 2. In the Study Statement I identified two main aims. The first was to investigate the possibility of a new form of hybrid art, consisting of a mix of human, digital and AI art. The second was to investigate the hidden or the unseen. During my investigations I looked at a number of possibilities, including hidden sound vibrations and also the hidden effects of time. However absolutely nothing intrigued me as much as augmented reality.
According to online sources, augmented reality can be defined as follows:
‘An enhanced version of the real physical world that is achieved through the use of digital visual elements, sound, or other sensory stimuli and delivered via technology.’
Immediately, I knew that working with this technology would give me the potential mix of digital, AI and human art that I was seeking. However, the greatest positive and most exciting element for me, is the way in which this technology can be hidden in the real world. Indeed, augmented reality allows for the layering of a whole extra reality on top of, or working in combination with our existing reality – but (and here’s the thing), only if you know that it is there!
While in London, I noticed the way in which art is increasingly blending with technology, evidenced by my visit to the Outernet and more recently the Van Gough Experience. Both of these places use a variety of digital art and/or projection mapping. The art is highly immersive. However, the simple act of wandering around London made me question just what, if anything, could actually be hidden around me? Obviously there may be nothing, but there again I could be walking around completely oblivious to a whole different unseen reality right in front of me. The problem is that without having the ‘key’ to unlock this, then I would never know. I find this concept truly truly fascinating! I knew that this held great potential for me moving forwards.
In order to explore the concept of augmented reality further, I needed to decide exactly what I wanted to augment? Around the same time I was pondering this question, I had visited Barcelona. Here I went on to explore a number of galleries including the famous MACBA Contemporary Arts Museum. I was so impressed by the light and beautiful pristine white walls in this museum that I decided to publish a small book, which can be accessed via this link.
Beautiful Light – MACBA Barcelona – PDF Link
Initially, this was just a personal project because I particularly liked the light, bright and airy feel of the museum. However, while wandering around Barcelona’s streets, I became increasingly aware of the sheer visual impact of the volume of graffiti surrounding me. It felt that if there was a spare wall, then it was almost ‘rude’ not to cover it with bright vibrant graffiti. I have visited a number of cities over the years but the graffiti in Barcelona seemed so much more prominent than anything I had witnessed before. I decided to photograph this graffiti. It reminded me very much of an earlier project I called ‘Time of the Signs’. Here passers by were overloaded with sensory information via a multitude of signs. In Barcelona I felt this was also the case, but instead of signs it was visual overload via graffiti.
I particularly liked the graffiti, but I knew that often it was perceived as a negative. I think that possibly my visit to the Banksy Museum in Barcelona proved a turning point in my project work. During my time at the Banksy Museum, near the end of the blog, I noted a stark contrast between the pristine walls of the MACBA and the interior of the graffiti clad Banksy Museum.
Banksy is credited with saying:
‘Graffiti is one of the few tools you have if you have almost nothing. And even if you don’t come up with a picture to cure world poverty, at least you can make someone smile while they’re stuck in traffic’ – Banksy
I felt that I was witnessing a little understood art form. Graffiti to me represents a multitude of people expressing themselves in the most accessible way that they can. Love it or hate it, I personally feel that it is something instantly recognisable across continents. To me it represents something deeply human. Although many may not agree, I would liken it to early cave paintings. Graffiti, just like cave paintings is anonymous, but at the same time both forms of expression obviously mean or meant something to their respective creators.
As my thinking developed, I remembered a Zoom meeting from the past, which had left a lasting impression. In this Zoom meeting we talked about ‘disrupting the average’ and what that could actually mean. What might change our outlook? What might make us sit up and take note? How can art disrupt the average in order to convey its message?
At that moment in time, I could not think of anything more ‘average disrupting’ than moving graffiti off the streets of Barcelona and into the beautiful pristine walls of the MACBA Museum! To physically do this, would possibly result in jail time or at the very least, a large fine. To do this surreptitiously and in a way known only to those invited, surely had to be worth exploring?
The Development and Realisation of a Self Directed Programme of Learning
Having explored both the MACBA along with the Barcelona’s graffiti laden walls, I decided these concepts afforded me an opportunity to explore augmented reality as a disruptive force. Obviously I was unable to physically spray paint the MACBA museum in graffiti, but with augmented reality I could do this virtually. I could even hide the fact that I had done this, so that no-one would ever know, unless I told them. I had already produced a small book showing the pristine walls of the MACBA Museum and now all I needed to do was virtually ‘plaster’ them in graffiti.
I felt it was unethical to take large swathes of the designs of others, so instead, I decided to introduce AI into the mix and I used it to re-imagine the graffiti. This now aligned with my desire to produce something that was not only hidden but incorporated a human, digital and AI hybrid form of art. If you would like to experience the augmented version of the book then please scan the following QR code followed by clicking this link to open a copy of ‘Beautiful Light MACBA Barcelona’. Please use your phone to scan each image to see if it comes to life?
NB: Important Information
Please wait a while, as it does take some time to load each augmented video. The code may not work on all phones particularly Android phones, therefore if you would still like to see the augmented reality in action please check out the following blog post which contains a full length video of all the augmented reality pages. It is recommended that you read this blogpost as it not only adds more overall context to the project, it allows the viewer to see the augmented reality in action in absence of the QR code working.
Please note: It is possible that Android users will be taken directly to the Google Play Store. There’s no need to download the app simply click on the ‘Try Now’ button to bring up the scanner and then scan the images of the book.
Initially I chose Halo AR as my augmented reality tool of choice. However, its reliability was questionable. For example you may have experienced problems when using the above code or viewing the augmented images.
Problem Solving
After realising that my augmented reality tool of choice had questionable reliability (but excellent IT support), I decided that I needed to explore the whole topic further. In order to do this I took on board a 21 day day sustained challenge (see Zoom session 29) in order to learn as much as possible about the augmented reality software options available to me. At this point AI had already generated some very interesting re-imagined graffiti images for the project above. Therefore, I decided to use this imagery and self publish yet another book called ‘MACBA Metamorphosis Changing Spaces’.
Results
The results of the investigation were quite revealing. It would appear that in the world of augmented reality there is no one company that appears to stand out and ‘tick every box’. Variables examined included: ease of use, reliability, load times, cost implications and platform dependent restrictions. A number of companies were tested throughout the 21 day day challenge – (Zoom session 29) and a comprehensive list of augmented reality outcomes can be found here. Please use this same outcomes blog post if you would like to try out the augmented pages of the MACBA Metamorphosis book. Analysis and evaluation of varying augmented software is evidenced throughout the 21 day day challenge blogs.
Simply visit the outcomes page, scan each QR code in turn and then locate the relevant page in book. Here is a link to a full copy of the MACBA Metamorphosis book.
MACBA METAMORPHOSIS – PDF LINK
Outcomes
In the end after weighing everything up, I decided that Halo AR was going to be my augmented reality software of choice. I also decided that I needed a third and final book as a dedication to all of Barcelona’s hidden artists, whose work will probably never make it into the MACBA. Ironically it is possible that their work may have been seen on average more than the works housed in the MACBA, that in itself I find quite interesting. However that is a conversation for another day.
In the meantime please find below my third and final self published book about graffiti. I titled this one ‘Urban Alchemy: an evolution of Barcelona’s Graffiti’.
URBAN ALCHEMY – PDF Link
Not Just Visuals
Urban Alchemy is the final book in the series. It is a mix of snippets taken from real photographs that I shot of Barcelona’s graffiti, collaged into a variety of designs and shapes. The resulting collages were designed by me. Some of the collaged designs in the book have been re-imagined by AI and many of them animated using a mix of AI, animation and digital art. However unlike the other two books, all of the music in this augmented book is also AI generated.
Please use the QR code below to access the augmented reality experiences, then open the Urban Alchemy PDF to experience first hand the music and animations hidden inside. As there is a known issue with Android phones and load failures, I have included a video of the augmented reality in action in the event that the software doesn’t work as expected. The intention behind this, is so that everyone can enjoy the book’s alternative reality and experience what is hidden inside. Access to all of the augmented videos videos can be found on the MACBA Metamorphosis blogpost.
NB: It is possible that Android users will be taken directly to the Google Play Store. There’s no need to download the app simply click on the ‘Try Now’ button to bring up the scanner and then scan the images of the book.
Urban Alchemy – The Video
Please note that all of the music in this video was AI generated. Most of the tunes are deliberately sad and somber in response to the research work undertaken in Learning Objective 2.
MACBA Metamorphosis Conclusions
The conclusions I drew, were that, while augmented reality is a wonderful tool for hiding a whole alternative layer of reality, it has reliability issues. Premium pricing or technical knowhow can help to circumvent this (to some degree), but there is no ‘one size fits all solution’. In order to avoid these issues, my experiment below does still involve augmented reality, but without audience participation. The augmented experience is pre-recorded and then the video used to convey the message of a hidden reality.
The piece below is called ‘Love Letters From AI’ and was conceived as a direct response to the research work I carried out for my Research Paper.
I note that some of the effects work much better than others and where videos incorporate depth it helps to take the viewer deeper into the work. It gives the illusion that the book page has a depth to it. This is particularly visible on the page containing the robot. Future explorations in this area will examine how this can be further utilised.
Love Letters from AI
Sad Robot
The concluding piece in this book series section is a 3 minute video produced in response to Zoom session 37. It incorporates much of the research and thinking that can be found in Learning Objective 2.
Future Developments
The book series and video shorts above afforded me a great opportunity to learn so much more about the world of AI animation, AI image generation, digital art, generative art, computer art and graphic design, which were all used in the project. Most importantly it allowed me to assess the pros and cons of augmented reality software. It also allowed me to work on a project that was primarily research driven.
Moving forwards I want to explore how ‘the physical’ can work with ‘the augmented’ using motion, and also how things at first glance, are maybe not what they seem. I have become increasingly interested in the work of Alexander Calder and Yaacov Agam. As a result I have begun tentative experiments in response to this (see towards end of blogpost). I’ve also created two experimental mobile videos to compliment this. My ultimate goal is to produce a work of art that has multiple layers to it, many of which will remain hidden until the viewer is invited to participate.
Supporting Evidence for Learning Objective 1
Sticking with the theme of hiding elements, I also submitted a print for the Grotto Print Project this year. All of the background to this project can be found on the ‘Grotto Print Project – Final Outcome’ blog.
Please try the QR code below to see how I added depth to my print and turned it from a simple 2d print into a range of more exciting 3d alternatives, complete with soothing clock animations.
I have also put together a supporting evidence page containing all of the blogs that informed my project work across this unit.
Please see this page for supporting blogs and behind the scenes work related to the above projects. This is work that exists but may not necessarily have been referenced in the text.
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3d 21 Day Challenge Abstract Art ai Animation Artists Augmented Reality Books Collaborations Culture Disasters Drawings Evaluations Exhibitions Experimentation Film Production Final Major Project Final Outcomes Food for Thought Galleries Ideas Lectures Little Wins Low Residency Materials Mentions My Learning my work opportunities Patterns Photography Polls and Surveys Problem Solving Reflection Research Research Paper Journey Risk Taking threats Timelapse Unit 2 Blogs Unit 3 Blogs Videos Workshops Zentangles Zoom Meetings
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3d 21 Day Challenge Abstract Art ai Animation Artists Augmented Reality Books Collaborations Culture Disasters Drawings Evaluations Exhibitions Experimentation Film Production Final Major Project Final Outcomes Food for Thought Galleries Ideas Lectures Little Wins Low Residency Materials Mentions My Learning my work opportunities Patterns Photography Polls and Surveys Problem Solving Reflection Research Research Paper Journey Risk Taking threats Timelapse Unit 2 Blogs Unit 3 Blogs Videos Workshops Zentangles Zoom Meetings