The Gardener: How to Rewild the City Using AR and Creativity

Following on from Design Exchange and Di Mainstone’s presentation last week, we would like to invite you to participate in the project The Gardener: How to Rewild the City Using AR and Creativity. The aim of the collaboration is to explore how we can develop a meaningful relationship between augmented reality and print magazines through the lens of ecology and the artistic practice of Di.

We are looking for a group of dedicated students to join us in this project. Depending on what interests you have, you can either join Di Mainstone (see her portfolio here), the London based artist and award winning filmmaker, in developing her augmented reality concept The Gardner. Or you can join the editor of Design Exchange Magazine, David Morris, in exploring how we can create interactive content for magazines through the subject of rewilding and augmented reality. 

The collaboration will be focused on researching, under the art direction of Di Mainstone, forgotten Polish female horticulturists, Warsaw’s ecology, the rewilding movement, innovative uses of AR and geolocation, and public and private space. This project will result in the creation of AR animations and characters that inform readers about biodiversity (or lack of) in the cities of London and Warsaw. As well as integrating The Gardener character into the magazine itself. The Gardener has been conceptualised by Di and was inspired by her recent artistic film Time Bascule, in which Di spotlights Hannah Griggs, one of the first women to work on London’s iconic Tower Bridge over a century ago. Hannah was a passionate gardener, and in the film she transforms Tower Bridge into an abundant garden using musical vibrations.

All students who take part will be credited, as well as having their work showcased and names mentioned in a magazine sold across the globe. You will also have weekly and monthly meetings/workshops with David, Di and Josh. And you will be part of an international team that includes the editor of Design Exchange magazine, David Morris; the artist, movician and researcher Di Mainstone; AR specialist Aleksandra Hojszyk; UX/UI developer Łukasz Kroenke and writer Josh Plough. We will need to assess your skill level so please send us examples of your work.

If you want to take part please email Josh Plough: j.plough@pjwstk.edu.pl

The deadline for applying is Wednesday 24th of April at midday.