Tech-inspired plan for ‘off the wall’ city art
An Invercargill-based business wants to revitalise the central business district laneways with interactive, virtual reality art.
Digital Stock is working with aerosol artist Danny (Deow) Owen to make art which comes to life - and they say it could be a world first.
Digital Stock owner Avinash Varghese said with the download of an app, city visitors would be able to view and create their own art.
‘‘Think of walking down a really boring alleyway and just brightening it up with 3D art,’’ Varghese said.
The goal was to help Deow reach his potential in Invercargill, he said.
For the public it would be free and all they would need was a phone with the right capability.
They were trying to get people to think about Invercargill as ‘‘forefront’’, he said.
‘‘Why cargill?
‘‘The technology is here, and we’ve got the bright people here.’’
Unlike amalgamated technology, virtual reality was ‘‘fully immersive’’, he said.
Varghese, with directors James Dowling and Will Finlayson, had dabbled in the technology for a while, he said.
They believed it was time they did something for the city.
The technology was still new, and was not something people were actively using yet, he said.
Deow said the concept was something that had not been done before.
‘‘It’s new to me, and probably the whole world.’’
The project would create interactive pieces of art, which he had not seen before.
Deow has already been commissioned by the Invercargill City Council to do a mural in Barclay Lane, which he said took him about 40 hours.
This week, he said he would start a ‘‘huge’’ mural, at the Scottish Hall, to commemorate the Scottish Battle of Bannockburn - a significant victory in Scottish Independence.
He expected the Scottish Hall mural to Wellington, why not Inver- take 60 hours.
‘‘I have a strong Scottish heritage, so it’s exciting.’’
The experience for Invercargill could be as simple as someone walking down an alleyway, seeing an image and having it come ‘‘off the wall’’.
Digital Stock have completed a project with Stabicraft, to allow potential customers to explore the boats virtually.
Varghese said there was the potential for other businesses to use virtual reality.
‘‘Virtual reality is such a new thing and it’s so exciting having this in Invercargill.’’