THE ART OF CONSTANT CHANGE [2021]
A Video Artwork Controlled by Brainwaves. By Betty Sargeant and Justin Dwyer
Shepparton Festival, Shepparton Art Museum, Australia June 2021
The Art of Constant Change is a 7-minute video artwork by PluginHUMAN. The fractured visuals are driven by the artists’ own brainwaves. This artwork highlights how we are affected by constantly changing contemporary conditions.
Over recent times humans have experienced a phase of remarkable transformation. We are immersed in a digital onslaught and surrounded by biological virus mutations, and in response, we are splintered, we rapidly shift and morph, blown like sands in the wind. With very few fixed markers in place, we navigate this by refining our ability to adapt.
The Art of Constant Change reflects upon and responds to our extraordinary contemporary conditions. This artwork gives aesthetic form to the ephemeral data of the contemporary mind.
How the artwork was made: PluginHUMAN used Electroencephalograph (EEG) sensors to track their neural function. They then worked in TouchDesigner to give visual form to their minds’ ephemeral data. The audio was created using modular synths.
PRESS
https://www.sheppnews.com.au/news/2021/06/27/4536143/the-art-of-change
https://www.sheppnews.com.au/news/2021/06/23/4503184/plug-into-shepparton-art-museum-wall
CREDITS
Justin Dwyer ~ Artist (projection mapping), creative director, programmer
Betty Sargeant ~ Artist, producer
Meri Leeworthy ~ Composer
RELATED BRAINWAVE ARTWORKS
PluginHUMAN have created a series of neural controlled artworks. DREAM 2.2 is part of a wider art investigation. Betty Sargeant and Justin Dwyer have created five interactive art installations and immersive art experiences that involve their custom brain-computer interface. These include the immersive art experiences DREAM 2.2 and Inter-Dream.
ABOUT PluginHUMAN
PluginHUMAN is a multi-award-winning art duo led by Dr Betty Sargeant and Justin Dwyer. PluginHUMAN are at the progressive edge of their field, providing audiences with new cultural, environmental and scientific perspectives. Their artworks address the leading questions and concerns of our times.
PluginHUMAN’s work centres around the art of illumination. They create projection mapping, video artworks and led immersive multi-sensory environments. They use the medium of light to translate complex data into meaningful audience experiences.
PluginHUMAN has created commissioned artworks for institutions such as the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (Taiwan), the Asia Culture Centre (South Korea), Questacon (Australia’s National Science and Technology Centre), the Melbourne Museum (White Night Festival, Australia) and Experimenta (Australian triennial touring media art exhibition). They have exhibited in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. PluginHUMAN were awarded the Rupert Bunny Foundation Visual Art Fellowship (2019/20); they’re developing new carbon neutral and carbon negative materials and working methods. They have also won Good Design Awards (2020 and 2018), and a Victorian Premier’s Design Award (2017).
PluginHUMAN has an acute understanding of the role that technology plays in contemporary society. They reimagine new technologies to produce artistic innovations, creating meaningful large and small scale audience experiences for indoor spaces and outdoor public arenas.
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