AR EXTRA [Street Version]

It may look like a guerrilla poster bombing campaign but this one had permission. AREXTRA launched under our ARCITY initiative as a vehicle to bring more exposure to more creatives across Loughborough.

THE PROJECT

ARCITY was created as an umbrella for our augmented reality projects around the city. A Window to Reality was the first project. AREXTRA launched soon after as a an additional vehicle for the augmented artworks. We received permission to take advantage of the windows of disused spaces across Loughborough in a ground-breaking AR land-grab.

An open call was sent out to creatives interested in engaging with AR and once the work started flooding in we selected and developed a range of work for the project. This meant that we could include a wider variety and representation of creatives than the initial project had scope for.

We designed and printed heavy-duty vinyl posters with artwork and information about the project. Those passing by the windows could point their phone at a QR code and quickly download the Graffio AR app. Once the app was installed they could point their phone at the artwork on the poster and see the designed-in layers of extra reality emerge.

We all know what posters are for- they are usually inexpensive to produce and meant to impart a message. It was interesting to subvert this medium into a thing that required more than a double-take-it turned the shop windows into a walk-by augmented reality gallery.