2MVD uses digital design tools to populate and expand material space through visual effects that put focus on the notion of interaction and artificiality. On an aesthetic level the term ‘digital nature’ is at the core of their work: they are interested in the interconnections and antagonisms of mathematical and natural shapes.
The work presented here comprises a set of Augmented Reality (AR) sculptures. To view those augmentation, 2MVD developed the AR-application afx-isi (https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/afx-isi/id1639518576): Through a smartphone an additional virtual layer becomes tangible - immaterial sometimes floating sculptures and new spaces, seamlessly integrated into the existing walls or attached to material objects scattered in the exhibition space.
The user can explore the virtual pieces or scenes freely with six degrees of freedom, moving through spaces and around objects, getting up close or further away - controlled only by the physical movement of the camera/device.
Physical Images distributed in the space act as triggers for the app to load specific pieces or whole environments.
The app enables users to take screenshots. We observed that the piece is highly interactive, the users love to take pictures of each other and share those other-worldly experiences with friends and on social media.
2MVD investigate machine-based spatial experiences, whereby physicality and digitality are not understood as separate instances, but are merged into one. They wants to address a supposedly banal question: What is the difference between material and real? We want to tighten the threads between the immaterial and the material to overcome this dualism. Therefore they invite exhibition visitors to interact and explore the relations between what is there and what you see, between the human and the non-human, between you and the other… and make kin.
