With Nick Napoletano’s new interactive mural “Parallel,” the painting comes alive using live interactive projections. Napoletano worked with 3D artist Peter Godshall on the project, in which real-time user input technology allows viewers to affect what’s happening on the painted, two-sided visage and “experience augmented reality without the need for an external viewing device,” the artist says. (Napoletano was last featured on HiFructose.com here.)
Check out the announcement video below, shot by Redbear Spirit and displaying yoga accompaniment led by Erica Kiely:
This version of the project premiered at the Charlotte SHOUT! festival this weekend, with public sessions running through Saturday. Sam Sykes built the custom stand, which holds a MIDI controller for viewers. On the painting itself: “The piece is about unity,” Napoletano tells us. “Recognizing the shared fabric of existence and working to bring people together. The painting is modifiable through a series of different control/scanning devices which allow the viewers motions and gestures to be tracked. In the case of the yoga class, the piece was synced with the class’s movements. The work also allows the viewer to directly change the imagery through a customizable interface and is audio reactive responding to music which opens up an array of opportunities for live performances/ concerts. We are pushing the boundaries of traditional projection mapping as the image functions and responds like a 3-dimensional object in space. Most interactive augmented platforms require an external device to perceive the movement. With this there is no need for an external device. Its user friendly and fairly intuitive.”
“At the end of the day we create a space for the viewer to engage, relate and experience the piece in whatever way they perceive it. We are creating space for self reflection, growth and joy.” Godshall adds. The pair plans to keep creating paintings that utilize this this VR/AR method in public settings and activate areas of communities. See more of his recent work below.
Painter 
Mural artist and painter 