Another of his projects, Epoch, brought together Oxford University researchers in the fields of artificial intelligence, immunology, and modern language with community artists and Inner Peace Records to explore the interplay between science, technology, and creativity. Also spawning an art exhibition, the collaboration — dubbed “the world’s first hip-hop time machine” — generated an album of hip-hop pieces produced using the technology of five time periods, from the past to the future, including one recorded at Sugar Ray’s in Essex, an authentic 1950s mono studio.
The eight-week OxTrail 2024 public art project runs until August 29, and is in aid of Sobell House Hospice, which provides palliative and end of life care to Oxfordshire residents, a cause with significance to Rawz because of a family member receiving care. An OxTrail app enables users to log the codes on each ox they discover and unlock rewards and prizes from the sponsors.
At the end of the trail, most of the life-sized sculptures and some of the smaller oxen will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the hospice. “I’m hoping my ox will find a home in SSL’s reception area, where it was created,” Rawz says. “That would be cool.”
For those interested in finding out more about the OxTrail 2024 event you can visit https://oxtrail2024.co.uk