Night Rage / Fall

A new form of media installation combining image, multi-channel sound and internally lit objects into a mysterious, deep image plane. Staged on the very edge of spectrum blackout, and moving into the deep of night,

Version 1 (Night Rage) for ISEA 2013 examined the many shades of 'nocturnal', threats to night biodiversity and the myriad myths and stories that have shaped our cultural understandings of life after light. Barely recognisable images float within landscapes of media, noise and sound as the work asserts a profound resistance to today's all consuming media mesh.

Version 2 (Night Fall) for the Queensland State Museum examined contemporary ideas around the ‘night’ and the 'nocturnal'. Beginning with the dark myths and stories that have long shaped our cultural understandings of life after light, NIGHT FALL considers how fearful ideas have often underpinned actions that continue to reduce Australia’s extraordinary night biodiversity. Today’s growing hostility towards Australia’s ancient, iconic flying foxes - who have been quietly pollinating our forests for millennia - hints at just how far we have yet to travel in our thinking.

Enter the darkened tunnel to experience mysterious, edge-of-perception 3D forms, enhanced by a range of cinematic,  illusionary and animatronic techniques, and become immersed in a strangely familiar sound track based upon seasonal field recordings made after dark, sourced from across the eastern coast of Queensland.

This work went on to spawn Light of Extinction developed for thingworld: International Triennial of New Media Art, National Museum of China.

SHOWINGS:
V01:  'ISEA 2013', Synapse: A Selection, Sydney Powerhouse Museum, 8 June-14th July 2013. Opens officially for ISEA 2013 on Wednesday 12th June, 6.30pm.
V02: Queensland Museum, 4th Floor (Invent-ory Space), 7 Dec – 26 Jan, 9.30am – 4pm, Free admission.

TEAM: Keith Armstrong (Artistic director), Lawrence English (Co-Director), Michael Candy (Robotics/Rapid Prototyping Designer), Luke Lickfold (MaxMSP Design), Heidi Millington (Arduino Assistance).

PARTNERS: Australia Council For The Arts, Arts Queensland, QUT Creative Industries, Arts Queensland, ISEA 2013, Queensland Museum, MAAP. Research and development of elements of this work took place during an ANAT Synapse residency at the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, working with Chief Scientist, Dr. Matt Hayward.  This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body. Keith Armstrong is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, part of the Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts’; and QUT Creative Industries, Queensland Bat Conservation and Rescue,  Batwatch Australia.

MORE:  Version 1 premiered as part of ISEA's 'Synapse-A Selection' the show provides a snapshot of the diverse collaborative projects that participating artists and scientists have produced over the past five years and also includes works by Helen Pynor and Peter Clancy, George Poonkin Khut,Mari Velonaki, Erica Secombe, Ken+Julia Yonetani, Nola Farman, Chris Henschke and Kirsty Boyle.