“Virtual Graffiti” by Ivana Druzetic, Christian Geiger

Title:

Virtual Graffiti

Artist(s) and People Involved:

Medium:

Participative live art project

Art Event Affiliation:

The People’s Smart Sculpture (PS2)

Artist Statement:

This participative live art project was This participative live art project was implemented by the PS2 Team from the “Trails of Memory…” subproject in Düsseldorf, led by Ivana Druzetic and Chris Geiger of the Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences. At the KZNSA Gallery Durban the project offered people to infuence the urban sphere through a virtual art practice and combined the virtual and the physical space. Artists, visitors, neighbors, and especially kids were invited to become creative in the re-design of their public space by drawing virtual graffti and “painting Durban together with Durban”.

Whether by writing a message, making a drawing or creating a simple abstraction all participants were given the opportunity to create their own mark in a public space with the help of digital tools. By using a camera connected to the controller, the users were able to shoot a photo in the endless pallet of their real surroundings and choose local sights, objects, faces or random details as patterns for their VR graffti artwork. At the same time, the process was visible for the observers as a projection on a real nearby wall. Drawing on the symbolism of graffti art, this participative public activity offers an opportunity for personal expression in urban space. Multiple questions arose from the activity: However perishable and ephemeral on brick-and-mortar, can this virtual tool reproduce the contested terrains of the city walls while avoiding the controversies often attached to it? Can the virtual walls be vandalized? Can the virtually extended space be appropriated?