Shifting Borders
In May 2023, The Highrise Project collaborated with refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants to respond to the Treasures of The Brotherton Gallery Exhibition ‘Shifting Borders,’ curated by Chris Taylor. The exhibition explored themes of mapping, journeys, and migration. The works on display ranged from historical travel guides to contemporary pieces addressing issues of place and memory. Over six weeks, The Highrise Project ran a series of workshops with participants as part of Leeds University Library Galleries’ ‘Welcoming Refugees’ programme.
The sessions integrated art and technology approaches to ESOL to promote inclusion and accessibility. Inspired by the idea ‘no one is an island,’ participants shared their personal stories through art and contributed to a collective map that went beyond individual narratives.
Using digital art and augmented reality, they also created a series of icons reflecting their own experiences.
Participants who had come from places including El Salvador, Cuba, Libya, Iran, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Mainland China, and Hong Kong to make the UK their home came together to create a project that focused on the story of their everyday lived experiences, rather than just on the experience of migration and displacement.
Visitors to the project could explore the augmented reality experience by scanning the QR codes next to each participant’s text and locating the corresponding icon on the map, which would trigger an animated AR experience.
Light Night 2023
Artists Louise Atkinson and Victoria Kortekaas curated the work created by participants of workshops responding to the Shifting Borders Exhibition. Using assets created by participants, they developed an interactive AR experience alongside an animation.
Visitors to the project could explore the augmented reality experience by scanning the QR codes next to each participant’s text and locating the corresponding icon on the map, which would trigger an animated AR experience. They were also able to take away copies of the AR map produced during the workshops.
AR Workshops
The Highrise Project is committed to creating spaces that make digital creativity an accessible and joyful experience. Supported by 100% Digital Leeds, in September 2024, we offered a series of workshops that explored digital creativity. Participants explored storytelling processes using iPads and digital creative apps, producing drawings which were then transformed into AR experiences.
Using Adobe Aero, they created an immersive augmented reality exhibition along Armley Town Street. Passers-by were able to use mobile devices to discover hidden animations, illustrations and artworks.
Armley Festival
As part of Armley Festival 2024, Artist Victoria Kortekaas created three augmented reality experiences that visitors could explore using mobile devices.The digital artworks were strategically placed at key points along the festival route to offer an immersive element to the annual community festival. The project included work made by participants from our AR digital workshops.
By scanning a QR code, festival-goers could unlock animations and illustrations and experience these immersive technologies alongside traditional arts practices and live music.
