MURAL ART: UNEARTHED (2022)
GOTAFE North Street, Shepparton AUSTRALIA (permanent installation). Opening 18th March 2022, Shepparton Festival – 23m x 5m
Fitzroy Street St Kilda, AUSTRALIA (December 2021)
Inspired by the wild spaces that exist within and around us, Betty Sargeant, Yorta Yorta artist Lorraine Brigdale, Justin Dwyer and Akshat Nauriyal bring you UNEARTHED, a projection mapped mural and microverse.
UNEARTHED engages both physical and digital landscapes. The artwork features a mural with contemporary re-workings of Yorta Yorta shields by Lorraine Brigdale and enlarged micrographs by Betty Sargeant. Embedded in the mural is an icon that connects audiences with a microverse. When audiences hold their phones to the icon, they access an explorable digital landscape created by Mumbai-based new media artist Akshat Nauriyal. This microverse is a parallel universe that exists alongside our non-digital reality. At night the mural is transformed into a projection mapped light experience created by Justin Dwyer.
The name ‘microverse’ is used here to describe a small independent digital landscape. People don’t need to download an app or log in. It’s a web-based 3D digital experience. Many contemporary people exist in both an analogue universe that is ever expanding, and within virtual spaces built on digital topographies. This microverse is a digital space that draws on elements of the analogue world, it’s a heterotopia or dreamspace.
“In this project is an opportunity to unite a First Nation (Yorta Yorta) woman’s view of Aboriginal war shields together with contemporary ideas in scientific imagery, illumination and video art. The collaboration prioritises Aboriginal art as an integral part of the visual imagery, encouraging a conversation around cultural awareness which is always this artist’s intention” (Lorraine Brigdale).
“The circular patterns in the mural have been made from micrographs and mathematical noise. I photographed the microscopic detail of wasp wings and Justin Dwyer applied mathematical noise to the images. This created circular motifs that fuse scientific imagery with computer generative processes. These motifs remind me of the contour lines found in many topographic maps. I love that this visual motif comes from a process involving nature, scientific equipment, computational mathematics and digital graphical design” (Betty Sargeant).
Betty Sargeant lives and works on the land of the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan who are Boon Wurrung people. The permanent UNEARTHED mural is on Yorta Yorta country. We pay respect to elders past and present. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal Land.
UNEARTHED is supported by Shepparton Festival and the Australian Government through Festivals Australia.
This project is supported by Asialink Arts, the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria and The Australian High Commission in New Delhi, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Thanks to The Exertion Games Lab, GOTAFE, DULUX Australia, La Trobe University (Shepparton).
CREDITS
Betty Sargeant: Artist (micrographs), creative director, producer
Lorraine Brigdale: Artist (shields), cultural leader
Justin Dwyer: Artist (projection mapping), TouchDesigner programmer
Akshat Nauriyal: New media artist (microverse)
Handcrafted Pictures: Project documentation – photography and videography
THANKS TO
The Australian High Commission, Delhi India
CONTACT
Betty Sargeant lives and works on the unceded land of the Yaluk-ut Weelam clan who are Boon Wurrung people. She pays respect to ancestors, elders and communities.