Virtual Art Exhibition Sprouts in Linköping's Historic Park

The summer exhibition 'Som svampar ur jorden' marked a significant moment for both the students and the venue. Young artists got to see their work experienced by the public in an entirely new medium, whilst Skådebanan gallery pioneered a permanent digital layer in the historic park. During the summer, hundreds of visitors discovered the AR artworks scattered throughout the gardens, and learnt to navigate this new form of public art.

These are the technologies that will define the future, and young artists need to be part of shaping that future.

Markus Lundgren, art teacher at Sankt Lars Gymnasium, who has championed integrating digital technology within the programme's traditionally analogue curriculum. This vision resonates with gallery director Anders Lindkvist, who initiated the project and sees broader implications for public art:

Technology doesn't choose sides—the creator does. Augmented reality still has the advantage of bringing us together. Even though we live in an increasingly individualised world where we let our phones create our worldview, we still share public space. With technology's help, we can restore the function of the medieval town square where we gather to see what's new, a deeply human form of technology that gives us the opportunity to experience, discuss, and love together.

Linnea's painting of a swirling portal translated into VFX Graph in AR.

The process behind the exhibition proved remarkably efficient, demonstrating how technical complexity need not constrain artistic vision:

• Students created works in their preferred mediums, clay sculptures, drawings, digital images

• They sent materials and sketches to the Meadow team for translating into spatial AR experiences

• Initial AR versions were created and uploaded to Meadow, each taking roughly 30 minutes to create

• Students visited the site to experience their works through the Meadow app and provide feedback

• Final adjustments were made based on their input

The results were striking transformations: a clay figure became a towering reflective sculpture; drawings evolved into swirling portals; mushrooms sprouted blinking eyes, and sculptures of ballerinas started dancing. Students could focus entirely on their own creative expression rather than learning new tools, whilst the process required minimal development time from the Meadow team.

Nora's clay models of mushrooms scaled up and covered with a video of her own eyes.

The project demonstrated how educational institutions can introduce emerging technologies without restructuring entire curricula, using Meadow as a bridge between established creative practices and spatial computing. Plans are already underway for an expanded exhibition in 2026.

We're grateful to Markus and Christina at Sankt Lars Gymnasium who facilitated the project, Anders Lindkvist at Skådebanan for his vision in initiating this collaboration, to Samuel Somo at NBV for facilitating the connection, and of course to all the brilliant students who created the art.

Exhibition artworks:

• Genom blommor by Tina
• Tillbaka till dåtiden by Linnea
• Yang Du by Toby
• Havsfrun by Selma
• 3 små tavlor by Michelle
• Hälsosam Psykos by Nora
• Tidlös Picknick by Elin, Nikita and Elvira
• Eva och Adam by Gry and Saga
• Ballerinan från ovan by Signe
• Edens Lustgård by Matilda, Sofia, My and Noah
• Observer or Observed? by Viggo