Alex Israel x Snapchat | Bass Art Museum

The Bass Museum announces the opening of Alex Israel x Snapchat an exhibition of works that use Snap’s augmented reality (AR) technology to bring Alex Israel’s Self-Portraits to life.

Alex Israel x Snapchat is a unique collaboration between the Los Angeles-based artist and Snap. Invited to work with Snap’s advanced augmented reality team to expand upon his multi-disciplinary practice Israel has created five augmented reality experiences each linked to one of his Self-Portrait paintings. Five Lenses unleashed in your smartphone overlay Snap’s groundbreaking AR onto Israel’s physical works to give viewers an entirely new experience of painting. A site-specific sixth work leverages Snap’s Landmarker technology and interacts with the museum’s historic Art Deco façade. While Alex Israel x Snapchat debuted at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2019; this exhibition will unveil three brand new works and will be on view at The Bass in Miami Beach starting November 29 through May 1 2022.

Alex Israel x Snapchat includes five of Israel’s iconic Self-Portraits each enhanced by Snap’s Marker Tracking: technology that connects a digital AR experience to a custom physical object. The painted panels become portals to immersive animated experiences. Self-Portrait (Drive) is a looping psychedelic joyride through Israel and Snap’s hometown Los Angeles. In other works viewers will encounter the most ubiquitous of LA/Miami flora: a palm tree a pelican by the sea and a dancing avocado each central to its own surreal adventure. A brand-new experience Self-Portrait (The Painter) blends video and AR with Israel performatively “painting” his Self-Portrait logo in digital light on a transparent fourth wall before magically breaking it.

Outside the museum a site-specific sixth work uses Snap’s Landmarker technology and interacts with the museum’s historic Art Deco façade. Exaggerating the museum’s role as frame or vessel for art Israel has repurposed the entire building as a pedestal for himself. Giant-sized and animated as a virtual sculpture Israel’s avatar sits cross-legged accompanied by Disney-esque critters in a pop-up enchanted forest enlightened by a Baroque art history book.