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Join the movement: Share your anti-war art on social media using hashtags like #ArtOfPeace

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TBILISI, Georgia, 15-Aug-2023 — /EPR INTERNET NEWS/ — This summer, four anti-war Russian emigrants came together through their involvement in the first-ever “Art of Peace” artist residency, backed by Campaigns for Humanity, the human rights-focused philanthropic arm of digital marketing agency Renaissance3. The initiative facilitates connection among artists affected by conflict and provides them with a platform to express their opposition to war and engage with their host communities.

“Art of Peace” innovators blend technology, self-expression to bring anti-war messages to life

Created through a collaboration of artists wishing to remain anonymous due to concerns for the safety of loved ones inside Russia, the cutting-edge project known as “Road Signs” uses augmented reality to catapult street art into the future: Users in Russia and neighboring countries who download the mobile app “AR Hunter” can point their smartphone camera at a road sign and see it transform into an animated artwork promoting peace.

“Road Signs,” whose message speaks directly to those potentially involved in armed conflict, will be integrated into the “AR Hunter” [http://arhunter.org/] app created by Anastasia Vladychkina, leader of the well-known art group Yav [https://taplink.cc/yav_zone], by the end of August.

Continuing the embrace of the latest applications of technology in art, prizewinning artist and “Art of Peace” resident Alisa Yoffe [http://alisayoffe.com/] led a masterclass on protest art in the virtual-reality world of “Xanax Tbilisi.” During the session, Yoffe virtually “walked” participants through the streets of Tbilisi to view protest art superimposed on elements of the cityscape. Emphasizing the collaborative nature of the project, Yoffe has invited all who wish to contribute their own anti-war graffiti to access the world of “Xanax Tbilisi” through the platform “VRChat [https://hello.vrchat.com/].”

Against the backdrop of war, a poignant artistic movement emerges

A heartfelt song born from the collective contemplation of 10 Russian emigrants when posed with the question, “What would you say to someone fighting in the war against Ukraine?” and titled “To the Russian Soldier,” culminates in the haunting refrain, “I want [you] to live… others will live too.”

Data reported [https://en.zona.media/article/2023/07/10/stats] in Mediazona underscore the grave risk born by those sent by Russia to fight: While military casualty data are classified, with those daring to report on the number of fallen soldiers prosecuted for spreading “fake news” about the army, as of late May 2023, at least 47,000 Russian men under the age of 50 had died in the war. Mediazona and Meduza estimated [https://en.zona.media/article/2023/07/10/stats] that 78,000 Russian soldiers may have been wounded or missing in action, bringing overall losses to 125,000. This figure stands in stark contrast with publicly disclosed information from Russia; as reported in Mediazona [https://en.zona.media/article/2023/07/10/stats], the last time the Ministry of Defence disclosed any casualty figures was in September 2022, when Sergei Shoygu announced that a total of 5,937 soldiers were killed in action.

Pioneering narratives for peace

Semra Fogel, an inaugural “Art of Peace” resident and architect of the “Verses are Louder than Bombs” workshop, gathered five anti-war poets at Reforum Space Tbilisi [https://reforumspaces.io/] this July for a collaborative art-making experience centered around song. In her own words, “I think art is a way to draw attention to this problem. If more people are going to use their art for this purpose and ask their friends to, we stand a better chance at peace. It’ll be better… for those who have already suffered from the war and for those defending themselves against further and further evil that this war brings.”

Fogel plans to build on her initial concept, with the goal of scaling it so more people feel prepared to produce protest art, whether collaboratively or individually. Reflecting on the five poets who participated in her flagship workshop, Fogel said, “I’m very proud of their work. I’m proud of my work because I managed to inspire them. It’s the coolest thing.”

Get involved

To participate in the Art of Peace movement, individuals and communities are encouraged to:

  • Share their anti-war artwork on social media using the hashtags #ArtofPeace, #ИскусствоМира, #IWantYouToLive, & #ХочуЧтобыЖил.
  • Contribute to the virtual gallery [https://campaignsforhumanity.com/art-of-peace] hosted by Campaigns for Humanity.
  • Host their own collaborative art-making meetups. The resident artists crafted a guide for members of the public to use, included below.

Guide to Hosting an Art of Peace Art-Making Meetup

  1. Gather a group of people and any art supplies you like or have access to. Old magazines, glue, and paper are all you need to create a collage!
  2. Together, look at a piece of art, such as one of those included in the virtual gallery [https://campaignsforhumanity.com/art-of-peace/]. Then discuss how it makes you feel, what you like about it; maybe what you didn’t understand or didn’t like about it.
  3. Spend some time as a group making art or poetry of your own, inspired by the discussion and the artwork. You might use the title “I want you to live” or “art of peace” to help guide you.
  4. Share your work on social media using the hashtag #ArtofPeace, #ИскусствоМира, #IWantYoutoLive, & #ХочуЧтобыЖил.

To stay up to date on the latest Art of Peace news, follow Campaigns for Humanity on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

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EXPRESS YOUR OPPOSITION TO WAR THROUGH ART: SHARE YOUR ANTI-WAR ARTWORK ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND JOIN THE VIRTUAL GALLERY 

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TBILISI, Georgia, 7-Jul-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — This summer, a group of Russian activists, currently living in exile, are banding together to cultivate artistic resistance to the war among the Russian diaspora. The activists, all of whom are working artists collectively specializing in a variety of mediums, initially connected through their participation in the inaugural “Art of Peace” artist residency sponsored by Campaigns for Humanity, the human rights-focused philanthropic arm of digital marketing agency Renaissance3. The initiative is designed to bring together artists affected by conflict and provide them with a platform to express their opposition to war and engage with their host communities.

“It [Art of Peace] provides an opportunity to collaborate with other talented artists, poets, and writers, united by a common goal: confronting war and violence through art.” – Anastasia Vladyckina, Art of Peace resident

Reflecting on the residency, one participant, who asked to be identified only by the letter “R” due to concern for the safety of her family still living in Russia, stated, “War cannot stop us from creating art. Here we meet, speak out, exchange, and create.”

Driven by their belief in the transformative power of expression, the “Art of Peace” residents are sharing their expertise with the broader diaspora community through immersive art experiences open to the public–including those who may not yet consider themselves artists. During these experiences, participants are guided to cultivate a sense of community amongst themselves as they create works centering around the themes of peace and pleas of “I want you to live,” an appeal directed at those in Russia they fear they could lose to this unjust war.

One of the experiences produced by the residents, titled “Verses Are Louder than Bombs,” is being organized by musician Semra Fogel and takes place at Reforum Space Tbilisi on 8, 15, and 16 July. Prospective participants must submit an application containing an original anti-war poem, which they will transform into a soundtrack over the course of three sessions led by Fogel, who received professional training in workshop facilitation as part of the “Art of Peace” residency.

“I want to inspire people opposed to the war to create art and feel the courage to share it with those who became victims of propaganda,” said Fogel. “I believe that art can be a powerful tool to promote peace and understanding between people of different backgrounds and political opinions.”

Those selected by Fogel to participate will have the opportunity to contribute the song they create during the sessions to an anti-war album that will ultimately be released to the public. Participants pay a fee of 30 GEL, with all proceeds sent to Helping To Leave, a volunteer-driven initiative that provides assistance to Ukrainians affected by the war. Participation is free for Ukrainian citizens.

Additional “Art of Peace” resident-led experiences, including a collaborative street art project conducted in augmented reality and a masterclass in protest art held in virtual reality, will be announced soon.

“Art is also capable of restoring the spiritual strength of people suffering from war and destruction. It can help them perceive the world and themselves in it anew, seeking paths to inner reconciliation and emotional peace. In this sense, art serves as a means of healing and self-expression, which can help people cope with traumas and fears.” – Anastasia Vladyckina, Art of Peace Resident

As “Art of Peace” moves beyond the residency phase and expands its reach to the general public, the founding class of artists expressed enthusiasm about the project’s potential. “While war–using weapons–deprives us of the opportunity for dialogue, art remains a means of interaction on the path to peace,” wrote resident Alisa Yoffe, who is known for her large-scale anti-war art installations. “I am an artist from Russia, and I find it extremely important to speak out against war.”

To participate in the Art of Peace movement, individuals and communities are encouraged to:

  • Share their anti-war artwork on social media using the hashtags #ArtofPeace, #ИскусствоМира, and #IWantYouToLive.
  • Contribute to the virtual gallery hosted by Campaigns for Humanity.
  • Host their own collaborative art-making meetups. The resident artists crafted a guide for members of the public to use, outlined below.

Guide to Hosting an Art of Peace Art-Making Meetup

  1. Gather a group of people and any art supplies you like or have access to. Old magazines, glue, and paper are all you need to create a collage!
  2. Together, look at a piece of art, such as one of those included in the virtual gallery. Then discuss how it makes you feel, what you like about it; maybe what you didn’t understand or didn’t like about it.
  3. Spend some time as a group making art or poetry of your own, inspired by the discussion and the artwork. You might use the title “I want you to live” or “art of peace” to help guide you.
  4. Share your work on social media using the hashtags #ArtofPeace, #ИскусствоМира, and #IWantYoutoLive

To stay up to date on the latest Art of Peace news, including announcements of forthcoming workshops, follow Campaigns for Humanity on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

SOURCE: EuropaWire

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3D scanning system CultArm3D delivers precise 3D models of exhibits

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The autonomous, colour-faithful 3D scanning system CultArm3D GT10 by Fraunhofer IGD automatically and safely generates high-resolution 3D scans perfect for use in museums. (© Fraunhofer IGD)

DARMSTADT, 23-Feb-2021 — /EPR INTERNET NEWS/ — The Fraunhofer IGD in Darmstadt has developed a product to make it easier for museums to digitize their collections and is now cooperating with Danish camera manufacturer Phase One. The mobile scanner CultArm3D delivers precise 3D models of exhibits of various sizes at the push of a button.

Creating a virtual representation of a collection brings not only benefits to museums and exhibits when visitors are facing closed doors and must resort to virtual exploration: “3D models are tremendously important for research and can help improve our understanding of objects and their origins as well as analyze their attributes. They also serve as the basis for visualization in virtual and augmented reality, and when using 3D printing to create true-color physical replicas,” explained Pedro Santos, department head at the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD. For several years, his team and he have worked with large-format 3D scanning technology, especially in the digitization of cultural objects. Since none of these objects is like the other, this task is particularly challenging. Through many discussions with museums, it was clear that the 3D digitization of entire collections demands results of the utmost quality along with a system that is easy to operate and mobile yet still secure.

High-resolution and true-color 3D scans to standard

The product of the cooperation between the German research institute and the Danish camera manufacturer is the CultArm3D robotic arm. Equipped with a Phase One iXG 100-megapixel camera, Fraunhofer IGD’s autonomous scanning algorithm and specially developed ring lights for optimal illumination, it automatically scans objects from every angle and generates detailed, high-quality 3D representations in the blink of an eye. This is important because the virtual models must be good enough for scientists to analyze them as they see fit and compare them to models of other objects, which fragile originals would only permit or be able to withstand under certain circumstances.

Scanning result of the CultArm3D: Golden necklace of Celtic ruler – 400 BC; left to right: wireframe, solid, textured. Exhibit of the Keltenwelt am Glauberg (© Fraunhofer IGD)

The developers at Fraunhofer IGD paid special attention to objects with challenging surface geometries, such as shiny or reflective objects made of gold or bronze with complex occlusions. All established standards and international recommendations were followed with regard to not only system calibration (based on ISO/TS 19264 and VDI/VDE 2634) but also object metadata and digital model data (based on Europeana Data Model, 3D Task Force and CARARE), which ensures reproducible high quality in terms of geometry, textures, and color a first on the market.

Safe and simple operating concept

The scanning arm is easy to operate and can be done by museum staff without supervision. The built-in software guides the user through a quick calibration process during initial setup that only needs to be done one time when the system is first started. The only thing to do then is to place the objects in the middle of the included rotary table and press a button to start scanning everything else is fully automated. The museum also need not worry about its valuable exhibits: The design includes various safety precautions proven in the industry for protecting the objects being scanned. One example is a feature that automatically locks the joints of the scanning arm in place in the event of a power failure.

Automated workflow

A quick preliminary scan establishes a basic grasp of the size and shape of the object. Dynamic viewpoint selection during scanning ensures that every detail of the object visible to the sensor is captured in true color and with optimal definition in the fewest number of images. Even challenging, reflective materials and complex geometric occlusions on the surface are captured. For reflective surfaces, this eliminates the need to use a mattifying spray to capture their geometry. For complex object geometries, manual postprocessing of the 3D models is minimized or usually completely eliminated. The dynamic viewpoint selection continues until the user-defined quality targets for minimal coverage and resolution are achieved. The final 3D model can then be output in various formats, such as in high-resolution 2D or 3D video, as a 3D web model, for virtual and augmented reality presentations, or as a print file for a 3D printer. All established standard 3D formats and many other output formats are supported.

Scalable and mobile

There are two models of the CultArm3D for objects up to a meter tall and weighing up to 60 kg. Larger scan volumes and weights can be supported on request. The scanning arm is mobile, and its light weight makes it easy to transport. When on site, all it needs is a regular power supply, allowing it to scan collections at various locations.

3D scanning technology already in use

Earlier development stages of the scanning arm are already in use at museums and archives, including the State Museum of Baden in Karlsruhe, the Thuringian University and State Library at Friedrich Schiller University Jena and, soon, the University and State Library Darmstadt. In Karlsruhe, the Fraunhofer IGD scanner has been integrated into the visitor concept, allowing guests to scan museum objects in 3D under supervision and then see the results of their work for themselves on interactive touch tables or with VR glasses.

It has already been evaluated and used at The Getty in Los Angeles, the REM in Mannheim, the Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel (MHK), the Saalburg and the Keltenwelt am Glauberg, where a wide array of collections was digitized in 3D. The feedback from these applications gave the developers valuable tips for improvements. Interested museums can contact Fraunhofer IGD directly for cooperation. Aside from installing the CultArm3D, all staff will be given an extensive introduction and on-site training. The overall package is rounded out by online documentation that is continually kept updated. A sales channel through Phase One is planned for 2022.

More information:

Videos of the CultArm3D in operation and a presentation of scanned objects: https://www.cultarm3d.de/

Everything on 3D scanning research at Fraunhofer IGD: https://www.igd.fraunhofer.de/en/competences/technologies/3d-scanning

SOURCE: EuropaWire