In collaboration with Hugo Pilate as part of the V2_ Realities in Transition residency program.

“What a mess” seeks to explore the untapped narrative potential of the urban fabric, with an approach nestled between the practices of plein-air painting, mixed reality interventions and locative arts.

Trading the easel and VR headset for a 3D scanning device, we organized walkshops around Rotterdam with small groups of casual urban explorers and set out to digitally sample 3D vignettes of the neighborhoods visited on our walks. Although we created our own installation to showcase the 3D captures, we imagined a project which could in turn contribute to further re-appropriation.

The final installation at V2_ invites the viewer to decrypt with the artists what might be the narrative potential behind each aggregate. Close inspection of each sediment formation will reveal the digital surfaces that constitute them. The 3D scans were also integrated into game environments including Skater XL and Fortnite Creative, to start imagining what their next life might entail.

The whole project, process, inspiration and archive of 3D scans can be found at whatamess.city