Snapchat announced the launch of a new AR project called Monumental Perspectives, which lets Snapchat users view five augmented reality artworks placed across Los Angeles.
The project is a collaboration between Snapchat and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). The AR monuments have been by created artists and technologists who are part of the Snap Lens Creators, with the intention to “celebrate diverse histories across Los Angeles, in an effort to offer more inclusive perspectives from communities across the region.”
Each of the monuments focuses on a different perspective. Here’s a description from Snapchat:
The five virtual monuments and murals include Mercedes Dorame’s immersive portal between past, present, and future worlds for Indigenous presence in contemporary Tovaangar (Los Angeles), I.R. Bach’s animations designed to inspire self-reflection, Glenn Kaino’s path of generational stories of connectedness along the 1932 L.A. Olympic marathon route, Ruben Ochoa’s homage to the shared history of street vendors in L.A., and Ada Pinkston’s memorial series paying tribute to Biddy Mason.
The launch of the monuments coincides with International Day for Monuments and Sites, which is this coming Sunday April 18. If you’re around LA, you’ll be able to spot physical signage at the monuments’ locations, including the LACMA campus and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. They will also be marked on Snap Map, so those in the city can easily find each location.
If you’re not in LA, you’ll still be able to take part and view the monuments on Snapchat itself — you’ll just have to place them in AR using your camera, and won’t be able to view them on the actual sites.
