Augmented Reality Exhibit with Mew
Lingjun Jiang aka “Mew” worked with the us at the TechHub to create an Augmented reality exhibit ultimately entitled “The Hidden Friends and the Hidden Places”. This is going on it’s second semester on display.
Here’s her Artist’s Statement:
TechHub Aurasma Exhibit
MEW3 Presents
With Mew ~My Imaginary Friends~
Armory 151A CITL TechHub
11am, September 12th, 2017
Artist statement
With Mew ~My Imaginary Friends~
“What is essential is invisible to the eye.”
Imaginary friends refer to a psychological phenomenon in which an
interpersonal relationship takes place in one’s imagination rather than
external physical reality. Mew and MewMew, the two friends of mine, are
of such existence. They exist to me, but are invisible to others. They were
born from my imagination and my longing for friendship.
Introverted children are more likely to create their own imagined
friends by either personifying objects or creating friends out of the blue in
their mind. I was once a lonely child like them. However, with my imagined
friends Mew, the cat girl of curiosity, and MewMew, the orange cat-like
creature warm and soft, I am no longer lonely. Throughout my childhood,
they were my buddies, accompanying me, and we grew up together
experiencing both bliss and adversities.
Now as a grown-up half way through, I am able to visualize my friends
and introduce them to many others by drawing them down and creating
works of Mew and MewMew. With the technology of Augmented Reality,
my imaginary friends become existent in others’ eyes. In this exhibit, I
would like to present you the ephemeral but blissful moments of Mew and
I. What is essential is invisible to the eye. At first glance, all these photos on
wall are just normal daily random moments, but please scan these photos
with the Aurasma App, and Mew, my imaginary friend, will become visible
to you.
Besides my photo records with Mew, the other imaginary friend of
mine, MewMew is also around in the exhibit space. Scan the vinyl stickers
of MewMew on wall, and there will be surprise for you too.
Augmented reality makes imagination come true, and I hope my imaginary
friends can bring you further inspiration and creative ideas for other use in
various fields. We have developed such a great technology to entertain and
benefit users. In the future, there are even more for use to explore.
