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‘White on Black’ exhibition: When hand-drawn art meets augmented reality

In an effort to modernize the art scene, renowned guitarist Doddy Hernanto has unveiled an art exhibition showcasing sketches that feature hidden texts and animations that visitors can view through a mobile augmented reality (AR) app.

Aman Rochman (The Jakarta Post)
Malang, East Java
Sun, May 12, 2019

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‘White on Black’ exhibition: When hand-drawn art meets augmented reality A visitor uses a mobile augmented reality app to view a sketch. (JP/Aman Rochman)

In an effort to modernize the art scene, renowned guitarist Doddy Hernanto has unveiled an art exhibition showcasing sketches that feature hidden texts and animations that visitors can view through a mobile augmented reality (AR) app.

In the Putih di Atas Hitam (White on Black) exhibition, which will run until May 17 in Malang, East Java, visitors are able to view 23 hand-drawn sketches and manipulate them digitally through the SnapCard AR app to uncover the meaning behind each piece.

Doddy, also known as Mr. D, said he had been compiling 110 manually drawn works of art since last year when he began working on the concept of the exhibition. He said he had always been excited about the possibility of merging digital technology with hand-drawn art.

“I’ve seen my colleagues who work in the fields of science and engineering creatively use the SnapCard app to present their research findings. I immediately thought that it would be amazing if the art scene could also be merged with AR,” he said. 

At the exhibition, visitors are able to view 23 hand-drawn sketches and manipulate them digitally through the SnapCard AR app to uncover the meaning behind each piece.
At the exhibition, visitors are able to view 23 hand-drawn sketches and manipulate them digitally through the SnapCard AR app to uncover the meaning behind each piece. (JP/Aman Rochman)

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“Since the general public cannot fully comprehend the message conveyed through certain paintings, artists now have the option to digitally embed their intended messages within their artwork through AR,” Doddy added.

Among the highlights of the exhibition is a sketch of Indonesia’s founding father Sukarno that features an animated salute when viewed through SnapCard. 

Another notable work is a sketch of a roaring tiger, which reveals various social media logos when viewed through the AR app. The sketch symbolized the public’s tendency to give credence to misinformation circulated through social media platforms, Doddy said. 

Guitarist Doddy Hernanto shows his sketches at the art exhibition.
Guitarist Doddy Hernanto shows his sketches at the art exhibition. (JP/Aman Rochman)

The exhibition was well-received by members of the public who viewed it as a refreshingly modern twist on the traditional art exhibition. 

Fifty-five-year-old Yuli Trianto enthusiastically toyed with her mobile gadget as she viewed various works of art in the exhibition. 

“This is my first time enjoying art through a mobile app, which allows me to better understand the artists’ intentions and messages,” she said. (rfa/kes)

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