France in augmented reality
TK park joins with French Embassy in Thailand in organising the travelling art exhibition “France eMotion – The Animated Journey”, which celebrates new technologies, the work of four young international photographers, and cultural sites throughout France.
Featuring 35 original pieces that come alive through augmented reality, the project aims to spark the curiosity of visitors around the world and inspire them to come (re)discover France’s rich heritage.
France has long been a coveted travel destination, inspiring artists from all over the world to depict its landscapes in their work. Cameras in hand, four international photographers—Ishola Akpo of Benin, Edu Monteiro of Brazil, David Schalliol of the United States, and Lourdes Segade of Spain—set out to explore different parts of the country. Over the course of their journeys, they each captured France’s rich heritage from a fresh new perspective. Visitors are invited to follow in their footsteps – whether to stroll through ramparted fortresses and castle grounds, visit contemporary museums and exhibitions or gaze upon vaulted abbeys and arch bridges.
A road map of emotions, the exhibition has four main chapters: “From one arch to another… Admiration for how an architectural feature as simple as the arch has evolved and endured over time”; “Remembrance of things past… Nostalgia for the deep history that lies behind every castle and fortified city”; “The world is a museum… Astonishment that art can be found everywhere—private homes and palaces, former industrial sites, and avant-garde structures”; and “Metamorphoses… Fascination for the places the photographers have captured in a magical new light”.
Over a series of 35 diptychs, a fascinating panorama unfolds— a breathtaking journey through the ages that spans prehistoric times to the present day. Similarities and contradictions emerge amid the photographers’ choices of colour, angle, and composition. Guided by each artist’s lens, the viewer is drawn in by a captivating variety of sites and decor. Together, the images depict a history marked by change and constant reinvention, right up to the futuristic designs of contemporary architects.
Animations in augmented reality created by Julie Stephen Cheng and Thomas Pons lend a delightfully poetic aspect to the exhibition. Superimposed over the images, a shape-shifting virtual character comes to life and moves through the photos. By infusing the photographers’ work with graphics that bridge reality and imagination, the exhibition builds a dialogue between two forms of expression to deepen the experience of each place.
The exhibition started in France, after which it will head to Mexico, Canada, the United States, Spain, Italy, Germany, Brazil, and Benin on an international tour ending in 2020.
To take part, download the free France eMotion app, available for iOS and Android on the App Store and Google Play. Grant access to your device’s camera. Point your lens at the photographs and enjoy the animated experience!
For more information, go to www.TKPark.or.th
