“Stories create community, enable us to see through the eyes of other people, and open us to the claims of others.” – Peter Forbes, photographer and author
Scan these Snapcodes using the Snapchat app to view key moments of Cornerstone Theater’s “Pedro Play” through augmented reality (AR) created with Snap Lens Lab technology.
Storytelling is one of our main motivations for creating murals.
So, when a friend (and fellow San Pedro Today columnist) urged us to investigate the cutting-edge technology of augmented reality, I was intrigued. Fast-forward to receiving an NEA grant, a Long Beach Arts Council grant, fomenting a collaboration with Cornerstone Theater Company, meeting a Snap teaching artist, and voila! We created our first five lenses.
The first Arts District mural to receive this technology is the Luis Sanchez mural, Soulful Sunrise, in the Lilyan Fierman Walkway. We welcome you to experience this exciting collaboration, combining the celebrated 2017 mural with key theatrical moments of Cornerstone Theater’s Pedro Play through augmented reality (AR) created with Snap Lens Lab technology. The mural was painted by Luis in 2016 (with assistance from Regina Argentin), commemorating the historic Warner Grand Theatre’s incredible applied design and history. There are instructions on how to see the Snap Lenses on a plaque beside the mural and QR codes on the ground, viewable through the Snapchat app.
Pedro Play, conceived and presented by Cornerstone Theater, was a new play with original music documenting the colorful history of San Pedro. It premiered at the historic Warner Grand Theatre in 2023 and tells the tale of how San Pedrans are coping with significant changes due to redevelopment.
The Snap Lenses, created by artist and technologist Raul Moreno, uses augmented reality to capture key scenes from the play. The integration of these three notable artistic endeavors celebrates, memorializes, and captures the essence of San Pedro for the community members who hold this town so dear to their hearts.
Teaching Artist Raul Moreno describes his role in this project: “As the lead artist for this Snap Augmented Reality (AR) project, I am honored to share my vision and connection to the community, who we hope will be engaged through this innovative, cutting-edge artistic endeavor.”
Together with Raul and Cornerstone Theater, we created an immersive and interactive experience bridging the past, present, and future. By leveraging the power of Snap Lenses, we brought to life the diverse stories of our unique community and preserved ephemeral segments of Pedro Play.
Raul’s connection to this community runs deep and is personal. His grandmother immigrated from Mexico to San Pedro, where she met his grandfather, also an immigrant from Mexico. Raul’s father, grandfather, uncle, and cousins worked as heavy equipment operators in the Los Angeles Harbor as longshoremen, and his aunt was a clerk. Both grandmothers on his father’s and mother’s side worked in the fish cannery on Terminal Island.
Working as a casual longshoreman during his college summers at various docks from Long Beach to San Pedro, Raul developed physical and mental stamina, resilience, adaptability, and a profound understanding of responsibility, teamwork, and communication. These experiences have been instrumental in shaping his professional ethos.
Raul pursued architecture at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in Los Angeles, where his senior thesis focused on transforming Angels Gate in the Los Angeles/San Pedro Harbor.
“After a career in architecture and the film industry spanning more than 25 years, it is an honor to return to San Pedro to help celebrate its cultural diversity, rich history, and heritage through this AR project,” he says.
By integrating modern technology with traditional storytelling, the Arts District aims to create dynamic, living narratives of San Pedro’s past and present, ensuring its legacy is preserved and celebrated for future generations.
These projects honor the contributions of those who came before us and inspire current and future community members to see the beauty and significance of our cultural heritage.
Stay tuned for more Snap Lenses by Port of Los Angeles High School students and see their stories come to life on the La Pincoya en El Norte mural on the side of the L.A. Maritime Institute’s shop wall at Berth 73. spt
