Holography and Augmented Reality (Her & Pokémon Go)

In 2013, Spike Jonze's film Her (1) presented a new city vision. The urban scenography was filled with multi-screens, and pedestrians were absorbed in their phones disconnected from their surroundings. The protagonist played a video game (2) with holograms and fell in love with the “voice” of a computer application. Her explored the evolution of image management and the dangers of computer addiction. What once seemed like cinematic fiction is now, for the most part, a reality.

In 2016, the company Niantic (3) developed the game Pokémon Go (4) using Augmented Reality technology, establishing a new paradigm in how entertainment is perceived and how people interact (5) with mobile phones. The application utilised the phone’s camera and encouraged players to go outside, walk, and engage with their device and other players. Photographer Thomas Dworzak (6), from the Magnum Photos agency, created a photo report capturing the crowds of players who filled the streets and squares of Paris, searching for, capturing, and collecting the iconic virtual Pokémon figures.