The growing interest in digital arts is evident as traditional art forms like murals evolve to incorporate innovative technologies like AR and VR. Our recent digital mural installation at the Hyatt Downtown Gainesville exemplifies this trend. This dynamic and interactive artwork captivated hotel guests and visitors and highlighted the increasing demand for such installations in the hospitality sector. The success of this project underscores the community’s enthusiasm for engaging and sustainable art forms, setting a new standard for public art that is both interactive and environmentally conscious.

Design thinking, a human-centered approach to innovation, has revolutionized various industries by fostering creativity and problem-solving. This project explores the application of design thinking in public art, highlighting its potential to transform public spaces and enhance community engagement. Applying design thinking to public art offers a promising avenue for making these artworks more relevant, accessible, and resonant with diverse audiences.

Our project, initially designed to enhance public spaces through traditional murals, adapted to incorporate digital murals in response to evolving artistic practices and community interests. This change not only aligned with our design thinking approach but also significantly enhanced public engagement and satisfaction.

Project Goals and Objectives Alignment

1. Site-specific Integration of Public Art:
   • Objective: Understand the needs of local people through observation and communication.
   • Outcome: The digital mural, being dynamic and interactive, allowed for a deeper engagement with the community’s interests, especially their inclination towards interactive public art. This medium enabled the community to touch, feel, and participate, transforming the static viewing of art into a dynamic interaction.
2. Develop Empathy:
   • Objective: Find the right question or problem to address through an artwork.
   • Outcome: By shifting to a digital format, we addressed the community’s desire for innovative and engaging art forms. This shift was based on continuous feedback and interaction with the community, ensuring that the project remains human-centered.
3. Identify Alternatives:
   • Objective: Collaborate with a group of artists on creating a mural installation.
   • Outcome: The digital mural served as a novel alternative to traditional murals. It not only provided a new medium for artists to integrate a design but also encouraged alternative methods of engagement and participation in public art.

Additional Reasons for Choosing Digital Mural

• Sustainability: Digital murals do not require physical materials like spray paint, which can be environmentally taxing. This approach aligns with sustainable art practices.
• Adaptability: Digital artworks can be updated or changed without physical alteration to the installation site, allowing for fresh content that keeps the community engaged.
• Accessibility: Digital murals can be made accessible to people with disabilities, offering features like audio descriptions and interactive elements that can be manipulated without physical strain.

Artist Team

Iryna Kanishchevais is an artist and visionary curator, founder of numerous urban art initiatives in the USA and her home country, Ukraine. She founded Monochronicle, a public art network connecting artists with art organizations and property owners. She has received several prestigious awards for her contributions to urban aesthetics and civic engagement. Charles Alan Rye is a creative director with extensive experience in production design, specializing in lighting, sound, projection, and large-scale video walls. His innovative work, including the acclaimed mobile art stage structure at the FORM festival, showcases his ability to elevate artistic expressions through technology. Together, Iryna and Charles combine their expertise to create immersive, technology-driven public art experiences.

Project Activities and Community Feedback

• Site Analysis and Information Gathering: Transitioned smoothly into the public space of Hyatt Gainesville Downtown lobby, allowing broader community involvement including residents, visitors of town, and online platforms.
• Prototype and Testing: Involved community feedback in real-time during the unveiling event, integrating suggestions immediately into the digital display. For example, changing the color panel and pattern.
•  Celebrating Completed Artwork: The event attracted many attendees, indicating a high level of community interest and approval. Hotel residents were pleasantly surprised observing the digital mural in the lobby.

Selected Community Feedback:

“I really like the interactive aspect of the art. It’s inspiring to touch and play with the installations. It brings a new life to public art.” – Josh

“The digital murals bring something different to the city, combining technology with artistic expression in a way that’s accessible and engaging for everyone.” – Ian Klontz

“This format of public art is exciting because it transforms the way we interact with art in our community, making it a dynamic part of our daily environment.” – Dylan Rose

Unveiling Event

We are excited to announce that the unveiling of our digital mural will take place at the Hyatt Downtown Gainesville on April 24, 2024. This event is accessible to everyone and free of charge! ♿️ Join us to experience this innovative and interactive artwork!

Funding

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

Conclusion

The digital mural project, while deviating from the traditional mural concept proposed in the initial grant application, successfully met and expanded upon the original goals and objectives through innovative and adaptive practices. It fostered community involvement and satisfaction, evidenced by the positive feedback and high attendance at the unveiling event. This project not only respected but also enhanced the community’s connection to public art, ensuring that the art remains relevant and engaging in a rapidly evolving world.