Exploring Contemporary Art in Augmented Reality
When we heard of a new augmented reality (AR) app by Oolite artist-in-residence Jen Clay, we just had to learn more. Enter Tropi.
Tropi is an entirely free augmented reality experience where participants can find and build their own personal collection of art by visiting pedestrian-friendly sites. It’s made to be an intuitive experience, and all objects are geo-located to appear as public artwork through the participant's mobile device.
Built by Samuel Lopez De Victoria, Tropi includes characters that can help participants collect the artworks they find and learn about artists, such as their name, social media links, and how to contact the artist or their studio location. Currently, Tropi features 100+ pieces from fifteen local artists. Additionally, Tropi is available on Android and iPhone. Tropi has sites currently in Miami Beach and in ArtsPark, Hollywood in South Florida, with the hope to keep expanding. Jen says, “We want Tropi to be a liberating experience for artists. Samuel digitizes the work for the artist to make it appear virtually and the artist can be as involved as they like. We do not interfere with the site physically, allowing the artwork to be placed virtually in locations that usually wouldn't allow for public artwork.”
Naturally, we had questions for Jen. This Q & A was edited slightly for clarity and brevity.
What motivated you to start this project specifically?
The AR project evolved from an outdoor projection project where we would provide artists with assistance to create video works through workshops. We wanted to create something more permanent that would allow visitors to experience the artworks multiple times and be more a part of the experience. We have always wanted to be totally inclusive, so created a project that could include all the artists in South Florida, and be a "gateway" art experience into the art world for people and children who have never been to a museum gallery before.
How did you choose the pieces to include?
We reached out to artists who don't work virtually/digitally to show them how their works could be experienced through AR. We also reached out to artists who wouldn't be the first thought for permanent public sculpture projects due to their medium, such as video, works on paper, and fiber works.
Do you have any favorites or highlights?
I really love walking out sites, finding the footpaths and shortcuts that pedestrians take, and imagining a large digital piece levitating as a corner is turned. Sam and I both love talking to artists about seeing their large-scale works in a public space.
What do you think is special about the South Florida art scene?
South Florida's art scene vibrates through color, reflections, water and motion—all things lovingly unique to our tropical environment.
Are the artworks made specifically for Tropi?
Some of the pieces currently in Tropi were created specifically for the AR project with the site in mind like Najja Moon’s fountain piece outside of the Bass Museum at Collins Park. Many of them are fabricated digitally from existing pieces that were also programmed to interact with the participant, like reacting to the viewer's touch, reactive audio elements, etc.
Right now Tropi is available for free for Android and iphones and has 100+ pieces to "collect" in Miami Beach, which include outdoor sites of Collins Park, The Miami Beach Botanical Garden, Lincoln Road and outside of sites like the Jewish Museum, The Wolfsonian Museum and Oolite Arts. Other areas include Hollywood ArtsPark. Future versions will be unveiled with later software updates.
Download Tropi at https://www.interactiveinitiative.org/tropi
Collins Park artists:
Morel Doucet
Mark Fleuridor
Najja Moon
Miami Beach Botanical Gardens artists:
Alissa Alfonso
Morel Doucet
Ocean Drive artists:
Alissa Alfonso
Devin Caserta
Monica Lopez De Victoria
Oolite Arts artists:
Jen Clay
Mark Fleuridor
The Jewish Museum artists:
Morel Doucet
The Wolfsonian artists:
Morel Doucet
North Beach Bandshell artists:
Mark Fleuridor
Tropi is a two-year-long project programmed by Samuel Lopez De Victoria to be inclusive for artists and audiences. Feel free to contact us through Instagram @interactive_initiative or email interativeinitiative@gmail.com with questions. This project is funded by the City of Miami Beach through the Miami Beach Cultural Arts Grant Program.