When walls speak digital: augmented reality meets urban art

The integration of digital technologies into artistic practices has evolved alongside the increasing availability of tools and the development of accessible applications (Paul, 2008). This evolution enables a growing synergy between physical and digital realms, fostering the incorporation of technologies such as augmented reality (AR) into urban art. This research investigates the intersection of urban art and AR, focusing on the overlay of digital content onto physical artworks. Through an examination of the author’s own artistic projects as case studies (Sullivan, 2010), this work explores how AR can expand possibilities for artistic expression and redefine audience engagement by transforming urban spaces into immersive, context-sensitive environments. These self-conducted case studies, based on personal creative practices, highlight both the challenges and opportunities in merging AR with urban art, offering first-hand insights into the process of conceptualizing and implementing these hybrid works. The findings demonstrate how AR can enhance the cultural impact of urban art in several ways, including the documentation and reinterpretation of ephemeral works, extending their longevity and relevance (Riggle, 2010). Additionally, AR provides a sustainable approach to creative practices by reducing the need for permanent alterations to spaces and enabling dynamic, adaptable digital interventions. These interventions open new possibilities for audience interaction, fostering deeper connections between the artwork, its environment, and its viewers (Manovich, 2001). By leveraging AR and related technologies, this research challenges traditional notions of artistic permanence and sustainability. It proposes a more fluid, innovative relationship between creation, space, and audience interaction, grounded in the author's experiences as both practitioner and researcher. The driving question behind this research — and our future explorations — is to understand how technology can be employed in innovative and meaningful ways to intersect with artistic practices, opening up new horizons for creation and aesthetic experience (Azuma, 1997).