Collective Voices
April 05 - May 13,2021
From the The Dougherty Arts Center and Austin's Museums & Cultural Programs: "About the project Local artist Caroline Walker’s project “Collective Voices,” created in conjunction with The Dougherty Arts Center and Austin's Museums & Cultural Programs, brings together the collective voices of community members who have been distanced throughout the pandemic. Members of the public were invited to contribute brief messages about something they were grateful for that helped them get through the COVID-19 crisis. Community members responded by sending in drawings, written statements, and voice messages. Walker combined these submissions into six digitally crafted mosaics displayed on heart-shaped structures that trigger an augmented reality experience that plays the submitted audio messages in combination with digital visual effects. Viewers can get the full experience by downloading Walker’s app “Collective Voices” from the Google Play or the Apple App Store and visiting any of the art installation locations. When viewers look at the art installation through the app, they’ll hear the community members’ audio submissions and see their messages of gratitude appearing to float out from the art installation into the universe. The art installations highlight Austinite’s stories of coping strategies and silver linings that they have appreciated during this challenging time. Among the many themes, the most popular ones included connecting with nature and spending more time with family. The art installations are on view at: The Arboretum through May 13
