Golden Call explores AR as a spiritual tool of augmentation through an Instagram filter. Using symbols from the Book of Revelations like golden trumpets and wheels, it conjures up a sublime soundscape, tapping into the feeling of finality that is presently lingering in the air. I am drawing parallels between the archetypical and religious depiction of apocalypse and the current climate of disenchantment and chaos. With this project I reflect simultaneously on several repeating themes in my work – spiritual versus virtual experience, purposive use of limited mediums and extreme exposure of digital art.

Created with Spark AR, a highly streamlined and optimized piece of software, the work balances between kitsch and authenticity. Creativity is met with friction within the program, as templates and suggestions form a thick fog. This apparent limit, however, proved a great stimulant for exploration. As all intentions become problems to solve, the outcome is inevitably torn and tested before it assumes form. This test is carried through my drawing work, which shapes my thinking as I juggle ideas in a greatly familiar medium.

As a filter, this work embraces the excess, flashiness and virality of the medium, juxtaposing it against an otherwise ecclesiastic atmosphere. The call of angelic trumpets becomes ephemeral in the 24-hour life cycle of an Instagram story. With limited attention of a social surfer, the final call is turned into a momentary virtual toy. Contrastingly, through sharing it also turns into a religious ritual, embodying the simultaneous, universal awakening described in Revelations.

The social spreading of this audiovisual piece is its last stage, changing our familiar spaces and saturating them with ecstatic sounds. It’s an experiential and performative work, therefore engaging with all aspects of social media exposure informs the work as much as its actual making. Trying it yourself is the only way to actually hear the 'Golden Call', and this extension of process beyond final outcome indicates my next creative step forward.