The project PARK XR will blend street art and contemporary art within a unique playground constructed from shipping containers
SWG3 has announced an innovative new partnership that will see Yardworks and Skypark transform Skypark 7, the vacant site between Finnieston Street and Exhibition Centre train station, into a dynamic hub of artistic expression.
Led by Yardworks, SWG3’s globally renowned street arts and graffiti programme, this new project PARK XR, will blend street art and contemporary art within a unique 43,000 sq ft playground, using the shipping containers painted at this year’s Yardworks Festival as large scale canvasses for new artwork and light installations.
Opening to the public on 14th June and running until 30th June, artists will be commissioned to create murals, light installations, and inventive art displays, blurring the lines between street art and contemporary art and enriching the area with even more cultural vibrancy.
Earlier this month, SWG3’s Yardworks Festival returned for its sixth edition, transforming the venue’s vast indoor and outdoor spaces into a kaleidoscope of colour. Running across two days, thousands of guests experienced live art being created from scratch and had the chance to learn from the best with a vast array of workshops and activities on offer.
The steel shipping containers from Yardworks Festival will now be relocated at the start of June to be used as part of the new project with Skypark, ready to be repurposed and reimagined with a selection of Yardworks artists invited to return for this special project.
Using augmented and virtual reality, digital artists will also add layers to the newly painted containers that can be activated using an iPhone or smartphone – bringing the newest technology to audiences who attend the event. Digital street art is rapidly emerging as a new way for artists to activate spaces through technology, and virtual reality murals are an exciting way of bringing a broader range of art to the streets of cities.
Thanks to new and emerging tools and technologies, artists are now able to create the impossible, with the University of Glasgow facilitating digital artist residencies through access to their state of the art XR facilities supporting artists and communities to try out new equipment and technology in their creative process.
”We’re excited about this new partnership and the possibilities it holds in bringing more new, colourful and exciting artworks to Glasgow. We’ve just had the most successful Yardworks yet and cannot wait to show the city the next trick up our sleeve. Digital street art opens up endless avenues for exploration, expression, and engagement with street and graffiti arts.
Gary McKayYardworks Studio Director
”Our new collaboration with SWG3 will transform Skypark 7, an outdoor unused space, into a vibrant street gallery, redefining, celebrating and inviting people in to enjoy the space and all that Finnieston has to offer. As long standing patrons of the city’s art scene and in collaborating with Glasgow International and The Glasgow School of Art, this new initiative celebrates the spirit of human connection, embracing diverse ideas and us being part of the community.
Angela Higgins of Resonance CapitalSkypark’s Strategic Lettings Advisor
Each weekend there will be a programme of workshops and activities to learn more about street art, graffiti and digital art led by artists with Invisible Cities also leading informative tours of the artworks.
General admission is free with advance booking recommended here.
