Rhinestone Cowboy: A dazzle Augmented Reality
Performance with a Choir and Cows
Wellington 2019
ATOM-r
For the 2019 Performance Arcade ATOM-r wishes to honour the farmer father in a visual augmented reality performance with cows and a choir. Rhinestone Cowboy: A dazzle Augmented Reality Performance is a celebration, memorial and visual spectacle. The performance will begin by each cow being decorated and costumed with garment pieces. Each garment will be adorned with sequins and rhinestones. ATOM-r and the farmer will walk the cows along the Waterfront to the Performance Arcade. At the Arcade entrance the cows will face the harbour and as the cows stand, bedazzled, dazzling, ATOM-r with a choir will perform a 15 minute dance for the cows, part ritual, part ceremonial, part unison. ATOM-r working with iphones will scan a object on each of the cows. This scan will pull up an augmented reality app a visual landscape and texts and imagery of cows and scans of the home of the original Rhinestone Cowboy, Loy Bowlin.
Judd Morrissey and Mark Jeffery formerly of Goat Island Performance Group co - founded Chicago based ATOM-r (Anatomical Theatres of Mixed Reality) in 2012. ATOM-r is a provisional collective exploring forensics, anatomy, and 21st century embodiment through performance, language, and emerging technologies. The work is interdisciplinary and evolves through large-scale projects with long durations of research and practice that generate outputs across a range of platforms including Internet art, augmented reality, site specific installation, choreographed movement, books, films and objects. ATOM-r was conceived in response to the historical architecture of early modern anatomical theaters, spaces designed for viewing human dissections and early surgical procedures. This physical and conceptual arrangement is used as a symbol throughout their work to explore histories and experiences of the body, sexuality, and prosthesis. ATOM-r core members: Mark Jeffery (choreography), Judd Morrissey (text and technology), Justin Deschamps, and Colin Roberson (collaborators/performers). For The Beautiful Holy Jewel Home of the Original Rhinestone Cowboy ATOM-r is working with Augmented Reality Artist Abraham Avnisan, Costume Designer Grace Duval, and Sound Artists Joshua Patterson and Kent Widman.
With thanks to Black Sheep Animal Sanctuary Otaki
Funded by School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Graham Foundation for for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, Kohler Foundation, WI.
Supported by Wellington City Council Public Art Fund