From January through March, MadArt welcomed a new sculptural installation by Seattle-based artist Ginny Ruffner, in collaboration with media artist Grant Kirkpatrick. Reforestation of the Imagination combined traditional glass and bronze sculpture with augmented reality. The artists used technology to overlay digital information onto sculptural objects, portraying two disparate worlds. The installation engaged viewers’ curiosity as they navigated the space using handheld devices, exposing a forest regenerating from devastation. This imaginary and potential beauty revealed through augmented reality was the forest reimagining itself, a process which is not singular to a forest ecosystem, but also inherent to human creativity.

Collaborator bio:
Grant Kirkpatrick is an emerging animator and new media artist based in Seattle. After studying at Cornish College of the Arts for three years, he graduated with a focus on motion design and animation. Coming from a fine arts background, Grant Kirkpatrick has considerable interest in the intersection of art and technology, particularly virtual reality, augmented reality, game design, and mixed media work.