Glitched: Quest for the Lost MacGuffin is a multidimensional, interactive exhibition.

We were selected to design an immersive, physical set to house an augmented reality (AR) experience, where visitors use iPads to search for fragments of a lost digital MacGuffin and other decoy objects.

The project was a collaboration with other digital and sound artists, whose interactive imagery and musical score combined with the design to create a compelling narrative experience. The concept for the environment extends from the notion of the classic ‘crime caper’ — transporting the audience through multiple scenarios which are connected by dream-like transitions, where unexpected scene changes enhance the spectacle of the chase.

The journey travels through four distinct scenes on the trail of the MacGuffin, each one drawing upon film noir and other cinematic themes. Architectural glitches shape transitions through the different scenes — from trick bookcases and broken walls to boarded-up doorways, creating moments of distortion and disruption. The scenes connect in a loop, encouraging visitors to explore and construct their own individual narratives.

Glitched: was produced and curated by Peter Bonnell and Michael Sargeant.

The exhibition features digital and Augmented Reality artworks by Piers Bishop, Nguyen Thi, Julien Costard from Université Paris 8 and Darius Powell. 

Soundtrack by Robin Newman and additional artworks by Nathan Hall and David Booth.

Special GiF artwork by Alec Mackenzie, commissioned by The Collection and Usher Gallery, Lincoln, with thanks to Ashley Gallant. 3D Scans courtesy of Leicestershire County Council Museum Services. 

AR imagery courtesy of Piers Bishop, object images courtesy of Darius Powell. 

Exhibition photos by Charlotte Jopling and Joseph Popper.