Seeing the Invisible

Augmented reality art exhibition

Through August 2022

SDBG premieres Seeing the Invisible, the most ambitious and expansive exhibition to date of contemporary artworks created with augmented reality (AR) technology. The exhibition can be viewed only through the Seeing the Invisible app for mobile devices while on location at participating gardens. Download the app prior to arrival.

GENERAL ADMISSION

Example of App Use

Video

About the Exhibition

Seeing the Invisible is the most ambitious and expansive exhibition to date of contemporary artworks created with augmented reality (AR) technology. The global exhibition, premiered in 2021 by SDBG and 11 other gardens around the world, places the same commissioned artworks in a dozen sites with different biomes across Australia, Canada, Israel, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the US. For example, the same work might be set within a group of coastal prickly pear cacti in San Diego and among a lush forest of giant redwoods in Edinburgh.

The exhibition features works by 13 international artists:  Ai WeiweiSarah MeyohasDaito ManabeEl AnatsuiSigalit LandauTimur Si-QinJakob Kudsk Steensen,Pamela RosenkranzMel O’CallaghanRefik AnadolIsaac Julien CBEMohammed KazemOri Gersht. The first exhibition of its kind, Seeing the Invisible was initiated by the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens and Outset Contemporary Art Fund, and has been made possible in partnership with The Jerusalem Foundation.

For more more information, visit the global Seeing the Invisible website.

Global Site

Prior to Your Arrival

The exhibition can be viewed only through the Seeing the Invisible app for mobile devices. Please download the  app to your device prior to your arrival. The app requires a smartphone, iPad, or tablet with a data plan, a minimum of 4GB of free memory, and either Apple iOS 11 or Android 9.0 Pie (API 28) operating system.

Because the exhibition is located throughout the Garden’s 37 acres, users are not able to use wi-fi for many of the pieces.  For the app to work properly, provide it with access to location services during and your device’s camera. Please arrive with a fully-charged device. Because audio is part of the experience for some pieces, we recommend use of earbuds for full immersion.

At the Garden

When a visitor arrives at SDBG’s main entrance, the app presents the exhibition map and identifies the visitor’s location. Clicking on the arrow icon on the map allows the map to show which direction to walk to follow the route and experience all 13 AR artworks. When a visitor reaches the vicinity of a piece, the app automatically presents simple instructions to initiate the AR experience. See the video example below of using the app to experience one of the pieces of art.

SDBG recommends allowing at least 90 minutes to walk to and experience all pieces.

Example of App Use

Exhibition Sponsors

SDBG is grateful for our exhibition sponsors.

Ruth and Ed Evans in honor of Francis Hamilton White
Randi and Marissa Coopersmith
Leichtag Foundation
Anonymous Trustee
Carol and Martin Dickinson
The Robinson Family
Marcia and Dick Brockett