Plantinify Yourself - Plantin Moretus Museum, Antwerp (Belgium)

As part of the DIMYMYDI project The RoyalAcademy of Fine Arts Antwerp presented Plantinify Yourself, an student-ledexhibition hosted at Plantin-Moretus Museum in Antwerp from March 1st to March25th, 2024. This exhibition marked the culmination of the 5th student workshopwithin the DIMYMYDI project, which explored the theme Mythology: Body with aparticular focus on shape-shifters.

 The workshop, held from February 25th to March1st, 2024, was designed to explore the concept of virtual identities and theways individuals reveal or conceal their true selves, particularly throughsocial media. The discussions tackled pressing themes such as the use andmisuse of shape-shifting in contemporary society, the interplay betweenanalogue and digital realms, online exposure, and the ethical implications ofavatar use.

A significant highlight of the workshop was its partnership withthe Plantin-Moretus Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for itscollection of woodcuts and its historical significance in printmaking. Themuseum had recently digitized its vast archive of 14,000 woodcuts, many ofwhich depict mythological figures. On February 26th, students participated inlectures, guided tours, and a deep dive into the museum's archives. Themuseum's rich collection provided students with historical and visualinspiration, bridging the gap between traditional representations of mythologicalforms and their digital reinterpretation.

 Working in small groups, students designed ARface filters as modern interpretations of mythological shape-shifters. Thesefilters, digitally constructed to transform and distort facial features, servedas metaphors for how virtual identities are curated, concealed, or manipulatedin the digital age.

The exhibition, Plantinify Yourself, showcasedthese student creations within an interactive digital display. Visitors to themuseum could experience the face filters firsthand using augmented reality,immersing themselves in a dynamic blend of mythological history andcontemporary digital art. The AR filters allowed museum-goers to"plantinify" themselves, shifting their digital identities whileengaging with the collection of the museum.

Running for nearly a month, the exhibitiondrew a diverse audience. Plantinify Yourself successfully bridged historicaland digital art, demonstrating the students' ability to reinterpretcenturies-old mythological themes using digital tools. The exhibitionhighlighted the importance of collaboration between educational institutionsand cultural heritage sites. By integrating digital creativity into ahistorical context, the project emphasized the potential for technology toredefine our interaction with cultural history.

The collaboration between DIMYMYDI and thePlantin-Moretus Museum not only provided students with invaluable experiencebut also offered the public a unique opportunity to engage with art in aninteractive and innovative way. This reaffirmed the DIMYMYDI initiative'scommitment to fostering creative dialogue between traditional art practices andemerging digital technologies, paving the way for new forms of artisticexpression and critical inquiry.