Location: TechHub (Room 151A)

MEW3 (Lingjun Jiang, Senior, Painting & Art History)

http://mew3mew.com/

With Mew: The Hidden Friends and the Hidden Places

Photography, digital illustration, vinyl stickers, Aurasma. 2016-

“What is essential is invisible to the eye.”

Imaginary friends refer to a psychological phenomenon in which an interpersonal relationship takes place in one’s imagination rather than external physical reality. Mew and MewMew, the two friends of mine, are of such existence. They exist to me, but are invisible to others. They were born from my imagination and my longing for friendship.

Introverted children are more likely to create their own imagined friends by either personifying objects or creating friends out of the blue in their mind. I was once a lonely child like them. However, with my imagined friends Mew, the cat girl of curiosity, and MewMew, the orange cat-like creature warm and soft, I am no longer lonely. Throughout my childhood, they were my buddies, accompanying me, and we grew up together, experiencing both bliss and adversities.

Now as a grown-up half way through, I am able to visualize my friends and introduce them to many others by drawing them down and creating works of Mew and MewMew. With the technology of Augmented Reality, my imaginary friends become existent in others’ eyes. In this exhibit, I would like to present you the ephemeral but blissful moments of Mew and I. What is essential is invisible to the eye. At first glance, all these photos on wall are just normal daily random moments, but please scan these photos with the Aurasma App, and Mew, my imaginary friend, will become visible to you.

Besides my photo records with Mew, the other imaginary friend of mine, MewMew is also around in the exhibit space. Scan the vinyl stickers of MewMew and her friend Benni on wall, and there will be surprise for you too.

Augmented reality makes imagination come true, and I hope my imaginary friends can bring you further inspiration and creative ideas for other use in various fields. We have developed such a great technology to entertain and benefit users. In the future, there are even more for use to explore.

I know I am never alone,
'Cause my Imaginary Friend, Mew,
Is always there with me, in my memory,
In the past, the present, and the future,
Forever.