In a bid to raise global awareness about the plight of the Northern White Rhinos, artists Gillie and Marc collaborated with an Augmented Reality company, INDE, to create a unique, interactive art installation. This project involved the unveiling of the world’s largest rhino sculpture in New York City, accompanied by a standalone AR mobile application designed for iOS devices. The app aimed to bring the last three surviving Northern White Rhinos – Sudan, Najin, and Fatu – to life in photo-real 3D, offering users an unprecedented interactive experience.
The mobile AR application was meticulously designed to complement the sculpture by Gillie and Marc. The design focused on intuitive user experience, allowing people to easily interact with and learn about the Northern White Rhinos. The app’s interface was crafted to be simple yet engaging, ensuring that users of all ages could navigate the AR experience effortlessly. Special attention was given to the visual representation of Najin, Fatu, and Sudan, ensuring their depiction was as realistic and moving as possible.
Once users downloaded the app on their iOS devices, they could activate the AR experience, which placed life-sized, photo-realistic models of the three rhinos in their immediate environment. The app allowed users to interact with these virtual creatures, take photos, and share them on social media, significantly enhancing the reach and impact of the campaign. The AR experience was synced with the physical location of the sculpture at Astor Place, making it a live, interactive feature from the day of the sculpture’s unveiling.
Case study produced by INDESTRY
The AR application successfully extended the impact of the physical sculpture, reaching a wider audience and creating a more profound understanding of the rhinos’ situation. By merging art with technology, the app not only informed users about the critical status of the Northern White Rhinos but also fostered a sense of connection between the public and these majestic creatures. The ease of interaction and the powerful narrative provided by the app played a significant role in increasing public engagement and awareness about the species’ brink of extinction.