For years we have been broaching the era where AR/VR technology and art would not only co-exist, but thrive together. Countless artists have been making amazing work in VR, with Laurie Anderson's work at Mass MOCA being perhaps our favorite. But in many ways, the way in which all of us would have a better understanding of this connection would be for one of the most popular artists in the world to approach the medium, and today, KAWS and Acute Art have teamed for an AR KAWS COMPANION titled EXPANDED HOLIDAY, with, among other things, an "edition of 25 augmented reality sculptures by KAWS, marks a defining moment in the ever-evolving relationship between art and technology."

Here is the breakdown of the release: 

 COMPANION (EXPANDED), 12 monumental AR sculptures, forms a global public exhibition that will be made available for audiences in major cities and locations in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Middle East, North America, and South America. Using cutting-edge technology, this project represents a new exhibition model that reduces transportation and travel for a global artworld. The exhibition will run for two weeks, from the 12th March until the 26th March.

- COMPANION (EXPANDED), an edition of 25 AR sculptures (1.8 m), is available to acquire via the Acute Art website. Owners will be able to place, capture, and document these AR works at different locations using the Acute Art app. Owners can keep the AR sculptures private or make them publicly available for anyone who has downloaded the app.

- AT THIS TIME (EXPANDED), an open edition, consists of AR sculptures (45 cm) in three colorways for time-based acquisition, available via the Acute Art app. Audiences can keep the sculptures for a limited time period and share their experiences through social media.


“When I realized the quality that could be achieved and experienced in AR, I was immediately drawn to its potential," KAWS said in a statement. "I have been creating objects and exhibiting works in public spaces throughout my career, and this allows me to expand on that in a whole new arena. The possibilities of locations and scale are endless, and I’m excited to start a new dialogue in this medium.”

Check out the full project at https://app.acuteart.com/