2020

Augmented reality

Do you ever think about the expanding universe of stuff below your feet that you know nothing about? Every inch and millimeter of our world is full of diverse, complex material that survives despite our tending to it. Magnified Mundane Magnificent reveals a world of complexity in the unfeatured and uncelebrated yet resilient and tenacious that exist in overlooked places embedded in our periphery.

After taking samples of organic matter from the location, Jen Urso investigates each one at multiple magnification levels to create a series of drawings. When a passer-by opens the augmented reality app on their phone or tablet and points it at the sample area, they see an expanded, layered version of what was discovered there, along with information about the samples.

Magnified Mundane Magnificent allows participants to reconnect with their urban environment, using augmented reality as a path to discovery, revealing the universal infinite complexity around them. Intricate line drawings and the obsessiveness and care of observing our overlooked environment allows people to wonder about what else they might be missing.

Created as part of Scottsdale Canal Convergence 2020 with the assistance of Hoverlay.