Snap Inc. partners with Bondi’s Sculpture by the Sea for first-ever augmented reality exhibition
Snap Inc. and Sculpture by the Sea in Bondi have announced a partnership bringing art and technology together, with its first-ever augmented reality collaboration.
The announcement:
Today, Snap Inc. and Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi have announced an innovative cultural partnership that brings together art and technology, and marks the exhibition’s first-ever augmented reality (AR) collaboration with an exhibiting artist.
This latest partnership follows in the tradition of Snapchat’s major global collabs with artists, musicians, designers and institutions like Jeff Koons, Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, Alex Israel, Daft Punk, Vogue and The Pompidou Centre – and now Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi in a first for the 25th exhibition.
As part of the partnership, a yet-to-be-revealed Australian artist will collaborate with Snap to create an immersive AR experience that utilises Snapchat’s camera to put visitors inside one of the 2023 exhibition’s most spectacular beach-side sculptures, extending the physical realm into the digital, in an unmissable highlight of Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi this year.
Tony Keusgen, Managing Director of Snap Inc. ANZ, said: “At Snap we have a proud history of bringing artists and technologists together to push the boundaries of creative expression and explore how augmented reality can enhance the world around us. We’re thrilled to be bringing this program to Australia and partnering with the globally renowned Sculpture by the Sea exhibition to put the magic of AR in the spectacular outdoor gallery that is the iconic Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk, and showcasing Australian artists to Snapchatters around the globe”.
David Handley, Founding CEO & Artistic Director of Sculpture by the Sea, adds: “We’re excited to partner with Snapchat, the global leaders in AR, and one exhibiting artist to harness this innovative technology in creative collaboration to add a new dimension to the 2023 exhibition. After showcasing the work of some of the best sculptors in the world across 25 exhibitions, we look forward to unveiling this new work to the approximately 450,000 people that visit the exhibition and extend the unique Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi experience to people around the world.”
With the artist set to be revealed and the AR experience to go live at Tamarama beach on Friday 20 October, the augmented reality collaboration can be viewed by anyone around the globe on Snapchat by searching in Lens Explorer and by scanning QR codes on site at the exhibition. 8 million Australians use Snapchat every month, and 750 million people worldwide.
Source: Ogilvy
