(Des Moines, IA) -- Dutch artist Leon Keer is painting an 8,000-square-foot mural at 901 Grand Avenue in downtown Des Moines.
"In this case I used a lot of old televisions and within that I depicted different forms of nature that can be found in Iowa, and then I thought I have to make it come to life with some new technology called augmented reality," said artist Leon Keer.
The mural features vintage televisions displaying scenes of Iowa landscapes, created in collaboration with the City of Des Moines, Pella Historical Museums & Tulip Time, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Madison County Tourism, and the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge.
Described as a pioneer of using augmented reality in mural works, Keer has painted murals around the world. The mural will be enhanced with augmented reality, which will animate the artwork when viewed through a free app created by the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation.
"I came across this extra technology which I think belongs to my art and adds extra value," said Keer.
The mural is a collaboration between the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation and Principal Financial Group, which will own and maintain the mural for at least six years.
The piece will be one of the largest murals in Des Moines once it’s finished. The hope is that Keer’s mural will be the keystone piece that will inspire a number of augmented reality installations around the city.
It is scheduled to be completed by October 18th, in time for the Turn It On Mural Festival Unveiling Event. The free iOS app will launch during the festival, allowing viewers to see the mural come to life through AR technology.