The Breakpiece

Background

Back in the days, breakdance and graffiti were inseparable art forms in the melting pot of hip-hop culture. Graffiti was used to announce upcoming local b-boy competitions. But with time and fame both art forms went down separate lanes and lost track of collaboration

Idea

To create awareness of the world's most famous breakdance competition, the Red Bull BC One World Finals, a unique graffiti piece was created. Like in the 1970s. But instead of spray cans, idea was to use Google's Tilt Brush, the virtual painting tool, and pay tribute to the old school culture with today's technology.

In a unique collaboration, pioneering street artist STEAK and BC One all-star MENNO used Google's VR technology to turn a breakdance move into a virtual graffiti piece - the so called 'Breakpiece'.

Together, the two artists created an immersive artwork. A virtual megacity full of hip-hop metaphors.

This collaborative piece of work was released at the Red Bull BC One World Finals in December 2016 in a social video.

At the finals, an illuminating installation revealed the "Breakpiece" and enriched the experience of the event for all spectators. In addition, interactive Tilt Brush installations gave everybody the chance to create and share their own personal 'Breakpiece'.

Simultaneously, for the digital crowd the artwork was launched in a 360° video.

And for the large number of early adopters within the audience, an app for Google's virtual reality headset Daydream invited the users to explore the artwork in an immersive and interactive guided tour.

Results

Not quantified at this moment.

Our Thoughts

There have been various attempts at digital graffiti before now ( e.g. Mountain Dew’s ‘Beyond the Wall’ from Colenso BBDO) but this is 3D in three dimensions!

First, an innovative collaboration – getting Steak and Menno to work together to create something the like of which you’ve never seen before.

Second, through the Tilt Brush installations at the World Championships, allow people to take the footage of Menno’s amazing performance and create their own personalised Tilt Brush interpretations to share.

Thirdly, to create an extraordinary VR experience of a city created entirely out of 3D brushstrokes and filled with visual references to hip-hop culture – most of which are lost on me but of great delight to the many breakdance fans out there. And which, I suspect, will; reach millions eventually.

Red Bull can lay claim to being one of the world’s most innovative companies – and this is a great example of how it innovates: through collaboration with specialists, in this case with Google’s ZOO team.