UW-Milwaukee Students Create AR App for Radiant Echoes
Creative Technologies students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Peck School of the Arts collaborated with FuzzPop Workshop to develop Sonic Drifters, an Android application created for Radiant Echoes, the interactive art installation presented at Summerfest 2026.
The application used augmented reality to add a digital layer to the 25-foot installation. Festivalgoers could discover virtual sculptures and participatory components integrated throughout the physical artwork. The digital content was designed to complement the installation while extending the experience past its physical form.
The project was led by Dr Oksana Kryzhanivska, who directed a team of students responsible for creating digital sculptures that expanded the installation’s immersive environment. Radiant Echoes featured more than 1,000 sculptural flora, 20 hidden faces, live dance performances and additional artistic elements. Sonic Drifters was developed to work alongside those features by introducing a digital experience which reflected the installation’s visual style and spatial design.
The collaboration stemmed from a three-year partnership between FuzzPop Workshop and Summerfest. FuzzPop founder Daniel Murray approached Kryzhanivska in spring 2026 with the idea of incorporating an augmented reality component into that year’s installation. Murray and Kryzhanivska had known each other for several years and had previously hoped to work together on a collaborative project. The proposal for Radiant Echoes provided the opportunity to combine the expertise of the professional creative studio with the work of university students.
Working closely with FuzzPop Workshop, the student team translated the installation’s artistic style and spatial concepts as digital experiences. Their work included prototyping, designing and animating 3D assets for Sonic Drifters. Each digital element was developed to reflect the appearance and atmosphere of the physical installation while functioning effectively within the augmented reality application.
Senior Studio Art BFA student Brayan Garcia helped lead the project’s artistic direction. He created concept artwork for several of the 3D models before producing the models from those designs. Garcia also textured and animated the assets before testing them in Unity to ensure they functioned together within the augmented reality environment.
Garcia’s work was informed by observing the installation as it was being assembled. Viewing the sculptures during construction helped him judge the overall scale of the project and influenced the form, colour palette and visual style of the digital models. The developing installation also provided a reference for making certain that the virtual assets matched the appearance of the physical artwork.
Senior Studio Art BFA student Mady Jean developed a low-poly insect that appears in the background of the augmented reality experience. The digital creature evolved from one of Jean’s earlier projects and was adapted to fit within the world of Radiant Echoes. She modelled, textured and animated the insect as an extension of work completed during the semester while drawing inspiration from the installation’s early concepts.
The collaboration also provided Jean with experience of working alongside a professional creative studio while presenting her work to a large public audience. The project represented one of her earliest opportunities to display 3D modelling work on that scale and formed an important stage in her creative development. It also enabled her to participate in a large collaborative production involving artists, designers and technologists.
Radiant Echoes combined physical sculpture, live performance and augmented reality within a single installation. Sonic Drifters formed part of that wider presentation by adding interactive digital content that visitors could explore through an Android device. The application complemented the installation’s artistic themes while maintaining the visual identity established by the physical artwork.
The completed project brought together students from the Peck School of the Arts, FuzzPop Workshop and the Summerfest partnership in a collaborative production that combined classic artistic practice with digital technology. Through the development of Sonic Drifters, the students contributed an augmented reality experience that expanded Radiant Echoes while remaining closely connected to the installation’s original creative vision.
