In the bustling heart of Vancouver, the Cambie Street Bridge is more than just a piece of transportation infrastructure. Recently, it became the canvas for a bold, captivating art installation that seamlessly merged physical reality with the digital world. The creative powerhouse behind this transformation? Premier Graphics, known for being one of the finest 3M installers in Vancouver, and Drytac, a leading provider of adhesive film technologies.
Augmenting Reality, Enhancing Art
Artist Jessica Angel envisioned a dazzling project that would blend the tactile aesthetics of art with the immersive interactivity of augmented reality (AR). Her concept was to “extend” the Cambie Street Bridge into a public art installation for the Vancouver Biennale exhibition.
The result is a sprawling 19,000 sq ft spectacle that completely revitalizes the bridge’s pedestrian walkway, supporting columns, and underside. In essence, the structure has been metamorphosed from an ordinary bridge into a vibrant piece of public art.
But there’s a twist. This art installation isn’t just a visual feast—it’s also an interactive AR experience. By simply downloading the Vancouver Biennale app, passers-by can hold up their phone and watch as the installation is transformed through a digital lens.
The Power of Drytac Film
Central to the successful realization of this project was the use of Drytac films. As long-term customers of Drytac, Premier Graphics elected to work exclusively with Drytac’s materials for this endeavor. The chosen products included:
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Drytac Polar Grip: A white polymeric self-adhesive film used for the printed sections of the installation.
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Drytac Interlam Pro Emerytex: A PVC overlaminating film utilized for the floor graphics.
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Drytac Interlam Pro Matte: A pressure-sensitive overlaminating film deployed for the pillars and ceiling.
These materials were chosen after rigorous testing and were found to meet the desired criteria of durability, slip-resistance, and budget constraints.
According to Taylor Sellinger, Partner and General Manager of Premier Graphics, “We find Drytac films to be consistent in quality and the variety of adhesive types and styles make them a very diverse material.” He added, “While we’ve been working with Drytac films for the last four years, we were honestly surprised at how well they seemed to perform compared to much more expensive cast films.”
This sentiment underscores Drytac’s commitment to quality, versatility, and value, demonstrating why these films are a popular choice for a variety of applications.
This project underscores the endless potential of Drytac films in creating dynamic, innovative art installations. As Premier Graphics’ successful application of these films shows, it’s possible to blend the physical and digital worlds to create an engaging, immersive art experience.
Notably, this project represents the merging of numerous creative and technological disciplines, from traditional art and graphic design to augmented reality and material science. In the future, we can expect to see even more innovative uses of materials like Drytac films, driving the boundaries of what is possible in public art and design.