ARORA

ARORA (formerly the #MakeUsVisible Campaign)               

• A new network of AR monuments for a more inclusive world
• You are surrounded by invisible art
• ACCESS THE COMPLETE FREE ONLINE EXHIBIT https://makeusvisible.io/
• ARORA FEATURED ON PBS
  https://www.pbs.org/video/augmented-reality-animation-at-queens-world-film-festival-qpj8o8/
• ARORA juxtaposes digital sculptures of gender diverse figures against statues of men across the five boroughs of New York City. The interactive map available on XRE and Pollinate’s websites guides viewers to all virtual monuments shown in Augmented Reality. Use your smartphone screens, to reveal the true face of the city.

OUR STORY
In December 2021, Anne Wichmann had a vision to make Gender Equity Monuments Visible on the Streets of New York and founded ARORA (#MUV) along with #MUV co-founders Clara Francesca, Katie Peyton Hofstadter and Nam Le.

Wichmann approached her XR Ensemble co-founder Francesca with the idea, discussing how artists might use technology to create a framework to empower representation on a mass scale. According to the mayor’s office, New York strives to be “the best place in the world for women to succeed”, yet its public art tells a different story. 91% of our monuments honor men. To create this new public art campaign, they consulted with artist Erin Ko, who recommended two collaborators: Writer and artist-curator Katie Peyton Hofstadter and Nam Le, founder of Pollinate Art. All were enthusiastic to join the conversation, and the early team was formed.

The co-founders began the campaign by asking: Where are the women? Where are the nonbinary people? Where are monuments honoring girls of color, nonmale composers and filmmakers, pilots and nail technicians and teachers, who are not men? There are more statues of horses than notable women! How can anyone expect a more equitable world, when towering above them every day — on pedestals, on saddles, on 76-foot columns 76-foot columns— are only white men?

Once we have received the funds we will pay a total of 40 artists and contributors for their 3 months of tireless work featured since 2022 to begin this conversation and implement it a minimum of $500 and a maximum of $1000 each. If there are any remaining funds the remaining capital will be put towards a new project between XRE and Pollinate Art.

New York City strives to be “the best place in the world for women to succeed.” Yet the 150 statues which occupy our public parks tell another story: 91% of them depict men. Why is gender diversity shockingly absent from public sculpture?  By honoring the millions of people of marginalized genders living in our community, we can imagine and create new ways to be seen in New York City, transforming our public spaces into a reflection and representation of our diverse values.

ARORA Success stories include:

1. Scavengar, Medienkunstverein and Google i/o AR Keynote announcing Arora Frankfurt with artist Dagmar Schürrer Mohzen,
2. ARora realising #MakeUsVisible with denkFEmale in Munich 2022 funded by the Cultural Council Munich and endured by the second Mayor of Munich with a showcase event at Haus der Kunst Munich
3. ARora realising #MakeUsVisible collaboration with denkFEmale in Worms kicking off September 2023 funded by the Equity Council of Worms, 
4. ARora and denkFEmale organising the AR Walk of Fame at Festival of the Future July 2023 in Munich at the German Museum   #MakeUsVisible 
5. ARora Hamburg in collaboration with Scavengar and funding from Körber Foundation September 2023
6. Inaugural AR Monument #JulietToo by Tamiko Thiel created for #MakeUsVisible x denkFemale is anchored as enhancement of a physical sculpture in the public landscape of Mnich with a permandh sign. Negotiations with Verona, Italy and Shakespeare Association to follow.
7. Negotiations for ARora in many other avenues and for many more!