Introduction

With the spread of smartphones, AR technology is no more for limited people.AR technology is now being used in various places. Museums and furniture brands such as IKEA actually use AR technologies in their commercial spaces to provide information that cannot be fully explained through displays. Online furniture shopping company Wayfair is introducing an augmented reality feature in its mobile app that will allow customers to visualize furniture in their own home ahead of purchase, just by holding up their smartphones. The purposes and the places that AR technology has been used has diversified.

This time, I’d like to introduce the project launch on June this year by Wescover, San Francisco-based company that creates art platform with a mission of “removing the space between the local artist (curator) and the space” and Google Lens which is AR app from Google called “Explore Art Outside Museums with Wescover and Google Lens” . Also, I interviewed Ms. Kira, an interior designer who based in New York and curator of the Wescover platform.

Art platform Wescover

Wescover is an online platform that allows artists (curators) all over the world to upload their work online index, promote and communicate with users. The most significant difference from the other platforms is you can sort not only by category but also by location. As a result, users can find local artists who never met, on the other hand, local artists who have difficulty to stand out from the crowd will get opportunities to show their art at a sophisticated place to more people. Wescover cooperate message is as follows;

Wescover connects the hidden people, places, and things that every design lover is searching for. Come discover the treasure around you.

Wescover + Google Lens = Experience art in your daily life through

Google Lens, which posses a similar mission, "connect users with everyday things", has teamed up with Wescover and launch a project to support local artists called "Explore art outside the museum with Wescover and Google Lens" in June 2019. 

As the promotion video show, the user will take a photo of the object they interested in by using the google lens app. If the art is registered on Wescover, it will automatically connect to the Wescover site, and users can check their other works and artist information. We can expect that this can be very useful for tourists, not only locals.

New York, where I live, is one of the best art cities in the world. As you can imagine, there are many emerging designers here. It is a pleasant environment, but at the same time, NY is a very competitive market to stand out. This time, we interviewed Kira from Kin & Company, an interior designer who joined the Wescover community as a curator.

KIN & COMPANY: Push the limits of steel even further

Kin & Company is the Brooklyn design practice of cousins Joseph Vidich and Kira de Paola, an interior designer with a background in high-end furniture. Especially after they were selected as "American Design hot list 2017" by online magazine "Sight Unseen", they come to light. Continual exploration is key to Kin & Company's creative practice, which thrives on material experimentation, including their developing body of research into oxidation and patinas as a distinct surface treatment. 

Right: Joseph Vidich and Left: Kira de Paola

As their first outside project, Kin & Company and Asa Pingree have curated 20 designs to populate the elevated garden at Brooklyn's The William Vale hotel, which is 2 blocks from their Brooklyn studio at NYCxDesign this year (2019).

"Inside/Out", Opening
©︎ Dwight Cassin

At this exhibition, they exhibit "Thin Check Chaises" with Dusen Dusen, a womenswear line by designer Ellen Van Dusen. The project attracted not only people from the design field but also people from the community. They are always willing to be involved in the community. 

"Inside/Out", Designer Kin & Company x Dusen Dusen Chaise
©︎ Chris Mottalini

Experience with Wescover

According to Kira, their friend introduced them to Wescover, and they approached them to be a curator. (You can become curator if you have enough things to show.) After they heard about their mission, they thought their beliefs align with what they believe in. 

I asked for her opinion about Wescover. Kira said, "Wescover broaden networks for the artist. Although most of the big project comes from actual human interaction, this is a good way to network with people that we never thought about. Wescover might be suitable for public art or hotel works that many people had a chance to see, but people don't have access to know the artist even though they like that art". 

Unfortunately, currently they don't have their work in public space( they are at Gallery or private residence), but they are planning to do something new always. Stay tuned and follow their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinandcompany

"Wave table", ©️ Alexandra Rowley

"Step chair", Kin & Company website