Somernova Art Project

AR Art Gallery is a public-viewing AR art gallery that showcases local artists/musicians. A total of 10 blank frames, each of them activated when viewed through the camera on a smart phone, have been strategically placed  create a path connecting various creativity hubs to each other in Somerville.

The aspect of a scavenger hunt and discovery. The AR Art Gallery will be activated when the camera phone scans the QR code in the center of the blank frames.

When one is ready to check out the next art, all one has to do is hit the refresh button on the mobile website. The artwork and music being paired will shuffle and showcase the next new combination of art and music from the pool of selected local artists.

Art, design, and technology. Of the local, for the local.  

I created an AR Gallery for everyone to enjoy because all museums were closed during the height of the pandemic. My idea for featuring local artists and musicians has gained excitement around the community and garnered attention, including the Somerville Museum, which has now contributed works from their archives and artworks for the gallery.

This public AR gallery continued to grow and expanded in 2 years, as does Somerville’s art scene.

> See featured Artists and musicians

How does it work?

Scan the QR code in the frame, using a smart phone camera.
This will take you to a mobile website which will prompt you to a screen which will ask if it’s ok to use the camera to activate the AR reader.
Match the QR image on the phone’s screen to the QR image in the center of the blank frame.
When aligned, the AR will be activated, and artworks and music will be paired for viewing/listening. (the music will first be muted; hit the unmute button on the screen to hear it) Enjoy!

Frame locations

Illustration by Angelica Chincaro from MIT IDM
The alley
Bow Market
Somerville Media Center
Somerville Museum
The Art House

Frame 1, 2 @Bow Market : 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville MA 02143
Frame 3, 4 @The Alley (Somernova) : 28 Dane St, Somerville, MA 02143
Frame 5, 6 @Somerville Media Center : 90 Union Square, Somerville, MA 02143
Frame 7 @the art house : 862 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144
Frame 8, 9, 10 @Somerville Museum : 1 Westwood Rd, Somerville, MA 02143
Spin -off : AR Fluff Jar @ Crane&Turtle : 1 Bow Market Way, Unit 33, Somerville MA 02143 (spin off)