Reimagining Heritage Through Augmented Reality in Barcelos

This summer I had the opportunity to take part in a RUN BIP programme on drawing and technology in Barcelos, Portugal. After exploring the city and its cultural landmarks, we were tasked with creating an augmented reality (AR) artwork inspired by the heritage around us.

My inspiration came from the Pottery Museum of Barcelos, a place that beautifully showcases the region’s deep ceramic traditions. Among the figurati and sculptural forms, one image stood out: a photograph of a woman carrying a towering stack of clay pots on her head. During our guided tour, the museum guide described her with great passion, highlighting how women embodied the strength, resilience, and feminism at the heart of pottery culture.

I wanted to reimagine her presence through AR. Using Artivive, I transformed the static photograph into a living artwork. When viewed through the app, the woman no longer carries only clay pots, but a blend of traditional and contemporary ceramic forms found throughout the museum. For me, this symbolises not only the physical weight of the pots but also the cultural weight of carrying forward the legacy of generations of artists and makers.

The piece blends illustration, 3D elements, motion graphics, and audio to breathe new life into the photograph. By simply holding a phone to the image in the gallery, visitors can experience this layered story unfold before them.

Augmented reality offers a powerful way to connect with cultural heritage. It transforms still objects into dynamic experiences, sparking conversation and inviting visitors to see history through a new lens—alive, relevant, and evolving.