Oliver Johnson
A group of tech-minded Oakland artists kicked off its inaugural Juneteenth hackathon this week, a technology event that aims to change the way art is discovered and viewed in its communities through a 21st century lens.
A local muralist is finding a new way to present his work.
It gets dark after a long day of work. Timothy B is in a space where a spray of paint adds another touch of creativity to your mural.
“When you’re on the wall, nothing behind me, nothing around me matters as much as what I’m doing in front of me,” the artist explained.
The Oakland muralist says his trees are a reminder of the damage done in the past and a call to fix what’s broken.
“Let me bring these trees to life, more than you know,” said Timothy B.
Your latest work will become a canvas for technologists converging on Oakland for the eleventh hack.
Using augmented reality tools and applications, the Oakland native’s mural at Oakland International High School will take on a new form during the event.
“I want people to be fully immersed in the play, even if it’s over the phone. What would it be like, right?” asked Timothy B.
The Juneteenth Hackathon is using augmented reality to transform the way art is accessed.
Damien McDuffie is the founder of Black Terminal, an app he developed to combine technology and art. He collaborated with Timothy B in 2020 to present his first augmented reality mural of the founding fathers of the Black Panthers.
“You can look around our city and you won’t see any representation of them,” McDuffie said.
Huey Newton and Bobby Seale can be seen across the street from the Oakland Police Department.
McDuffie added historical context with speeches and audio that can be accessed by pointing a phone as you pass by.
“You’ve known how to do this for a while now. Now let’s bring it here and present it in another way,” McDuffie said.
Newton and Seale suddenly “come to life.” It’s an example of how to introduce a community of artists to a platform where traces of digital creativity can be added.
“We want more people to be able to take this on and tell their stories from their perspectives and create new ways to tell stories in AR,” said McDuffie.
It is a step towards bringing more black entrepreneurs, visionaries and artists closer to the future of augmented reality, artificial intelligence and technology.
“When you open up technology through art, you also open up the opportunity for diversity in space,” McDuffie said.
Timothy B will be one of the artists featured at the Juneteenth Hackathon, expanding the possibilities of bringing more life and eyes to see your message through your work, amplified by technology.
“Sometimes it’s freestyle. It comes from within,” said Timothy B.
Working with galleries and museums, McDuffie says adding digital elements to physical art increases its value and likelihood of sale.
Before experimenting with augmented reality art, his best work sold for $250. But after adding AR elements to his pieces, McDuffie says some pieces sold for ten times that amount.
The hackathon runs until Sunday. More information on how to participate is available on the Juneteenth Hack website.
Kenny Choi
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