Crafting immersive spaces with Simon Burgin

Explore the intricate process of crafting immersive digital spaces with Simon Burgin. Simon Burgin creates immersive artworks and interactive installations featured in prominent venues such as The Lume in Melbourne and the National Museum of Australia. In this episode, Simon shares insights into his project, “Natures Store", an immersive moving image piece created using AI-aided photogrammetry to reimagine natural environments. "Natures Store" was featured as part of Immerse 2024, an event that breaks away from the traditional art gallery setting to share art in unexpected places across Knox, Melbourne, Australia.

Listen to this podcast to learn about:

• Simon combines AI-aided photogrammetry with tools like Unreal Engine and TouchDesigner to create detailed, immersive environments.
• Iterative development plays a crucial role in Simon's artistic process.
• The concept of immersion goes beyond scale, focusing on how art engages and transports the audience.

Highlights

• (0:00:08) Exploring immersive art through digital and natural environments
• (0:04:58) Balancing art and design: iterative development and client needs
• (0:09:31) Exploring AI tools in art and commercial work
• (0:13:56) The challenges of knowing when to stop in creative work
• (0:16:41) Creating immersive art by prioritising audience experienc

About Simon Burgin

Simon Burgin is a New Zealand-born digital artist and creative technologist. With 18 years of experience, he explores themes like environment and duality through contemporary media. Simon has developed immersive artworks for venues such as The Lume in Melbourne and WNDR Museum in Boston. His work includes interactive installations for public spaces like Stocklands 'Aura' and museum exhibits for the National Museum of Australia. Simon's projects also extend to brand activations for Nissan and BMW, as well as live A/V performances at events like Dark Mofo and Melbourne Music Week.

Key Takeaways from this interview with Simon Burgin

Description of "Natures Store"

"Natures Store" is an immersive moving image piece that reimagines the natural environments of Ferntree Gully, in Melbourne, Australia using AI-aided photogrammetry. The installation offers an intimate, yet expansive experience, blurring the line between digital and natural landscapes.

The balance between chaos and order in procedural art

 In "Natures Store," achieving the right balance between chaos and order was crucial, particularly when working with procedural systems like particle simulations. Simon reflects on the challenge of knowing when a piece is complete, often spending extensive time experimenting with different attributes to reach the desired outcome.

The role of iterative development in the creative process

The importance of iterative development is central to Simon's process. By approaching his work like a developer, he continually refines and builds on prototypes, allowing for ongoing experimentation and exploration until the final piece emerges.

Immersion beyond scale: engaging the audience

True immersion, according to Simon, goes beyond the scale of the artwork. The key lies in how the piece engages and transports the audience, whether through visual effects, sound, or the overall environment. The focus is always on creating an experience that deeply resonates with viewers.

Advice

"I think the key thing with immersive experiences is to consider the audience and really think about the context and how the arts can immerse the viewer, and whether that’s visual or aural” - Simon Burgin  

Links from the podcast  

• Visit Simon Burgin’s website 
• Follow Simon Burgin on Instagram 
• Learn about Luma Dream Machine the AI-aided photogrammetry app Simon uses   
• Learn more about the space Simon created for The Lume Emergent Melbourne.   
• Learn more about The Lume