On the south wall of Main Street offices in El Segundo stands a mural that captures something essential about hope. Created by artist Andrew Hem in 2022, "Moving Forward" shows a diverse group of children running joyfully through rolling hills, their movement frozen in paint but alive with energy. It's the kind of image that stops you mid-stride, a vision of harmony and possibility painted large enough to reshape a city block.
But for Andrew Hem, murals have always been more than decoration. They're a way of giving back. "When I was a kid, murals affected me," he says. "I want to return the favor." Hem's journey from animation to large-scale public art has been guided by this philosophy: that art in public spaces can touch people in ways gallery work never could, especially young people discovering what creativity means in their own neighborhoods.
Known for work that celebrates diversity, playfulness, and optimism, Hem brought all of that to El Segundo. The children in "Moving Forward" aren't just running. They're moving toward something better, together. It's a message that resonated deeply with the community, but it was also just the beginning.
Reality Experience Design, led by founder Christian Enriquez, saw an opportunity to take Hem's vision further. In partnership with El Segundo Art Walk (ESAW), the City of El Segundo, and Snap Inc., they set out to transform the mural into something that had never quite existed before: a living, breathing piece of art that people could step inside.
Using the Snap Lens AR platform, they created an experience that activates when visitors scan a QR code at the mural. Suddenly, butterflies flutter across the painted hills. Grass waves in a digital breeze. The children seem ready to run right off the wall. The boundary between what's painted and what's possible blurs completely, merging physical art with digital wonder.
The goal wasn't just to add a tech layer for novelty's sake. It was about reaching people where they already are, especially younger, digitally native audiences who live their lives with smartphones in hand. It was about making art memorable, shareable, and interactive in ways that traditional murals simply can't be. And it was about positioning El Segundo as something bolder: a model "AR City" that other communities could learn from.
The response proved the concept worked. "Moving Forward" and the other AR murals in El Segundo have collectively generated over 270,000 views, with strong engagement both online and during Art Walk events. Locals and visitors alike have embraced the technology, not as a gimmick but as a genuine enhancement to the art itself. The mural becomes a meeting point, a photo opportunity, a conversation starter, and a memory all at once.
For ESAW and city leaders, the project solved real problems. Public art too often goes unnoticed, blending into the background of daily life. By adding an interactive dimension, the AR experience makes the mural impossible to ignore. It draws people in, keeps them engaged, and sends them home with something to share. It makes art accessible in the fullest sense of the word.
The success of "Moving Forward" has elevated El Segundo's reputation as a creative hub and inspired other cities to explore similar strategies. It's shown that when artists, AR developers, civic organizations, and tech platforms work together, they can create something that transcends any single discipline. The result is what Reality Experience Design calls "creative placemaking," where technology doesn't replace art but amplifies it, where innovation serves community, and where a wall becomes a doorway.
Andrew Hem wanted to give back to the kids who might see his mural the way he once saw murals as a child. With "Moving Forward," he's done exactly that, but in a way even he might not have imagined. The children in the mural are still running toward a better future. Now, thanks to AR, we can all run with them.
El Segundo continues to lead the way, proving that the future of public art isn't about choosing between traditional and digital. It's about bringing them together, creating experiences that honor both craft and innovation, and inviting everyone to be part of the story.
