Douglas Coupland to use 3D images of Canadians in customized artwork for Simons

Everywhere is Anywhere is Anything is Everything/ROM MoCCA exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery (Photo courtesy of Douglas Coupland)

TORONTO – Canadians will be the stars of Douglas Coupland’s new art project set to be showcased at fashion retailer Simons.

The renowned Vancouver-based novelist and artist has announced the launch of 3DCanada, a crowd-sourced art initiative.

As a nod to Simons’ cross-country expansion, 3DCanada will capture 3D files of a sampling of Canadians from Quebec to British Columbia.

Between now and 2017, Coupland will visit six cities across the country to scan Canadians at various Simons locations where participants will take home their own 3D printed busts.

In-store events will take place on Saturdays during store hours, where up to 100 people will have the opportunity to meet Coupland and be scanned.

Each 3D bust will be printed on site and will stand about five centimetres in height.

The busts will be available for pickup the following week.

The original Simons store in Quebec City will host the first scanning event on July 11, followed by Montreal Centre-ville on July 18.

The next four events will take place at future Simons locations in Vancouver, Mississauga, Ont., Ottawa and Calgary.

Coupland is set to unveil a sculpture composed of hundreds of 3D printed busts in 2019 at the future Simons location in Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto.

“3DCanada is a cross-country portrait of Canadians 150 years into nationhood,” he said in a release.

“What do we look like now and where are we going with technology?

3DCanada will present a glimpse of what a group portrait can look like in the 21st century.”

Simons CEO Peter Simons has previously pointed to the retailer’s support of the arts community – which includes showcasing works by homegrown talents – as one of the company’s distinguishing characteristics.

The remaining scanning events are slated to take place at Simons in Park Royal in West Vancouver this fall and Square One in Mississauga, Ont., next spring.

They will be followed by events at future Simons locations at Rideau Centre in Ottawa in the fall of 2016 and the Core in Calgary in the spring of 2017.