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.

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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 

Experiencing Nature Store: scale, intimacy, and immersion

Robin Petterd: What’s it like to experience Nature Store?

Simon Burgin: Ideally, it’s an immersive work because of its scale. In a perfect world, it would be even bigger—I love large-scale works. But in its current setting, the piece is more intimate. It's made up of these surreal vignettes that I’ve created. I wanted the experience to feel like a world unfolding in front of you...

From pinhole inspiration to digital depth

Robin Petterd: So it’s a rear-projection screen that’s slightly larger than human scale...

Simon Burgin: That’s a really nice analogy. When I first conceived the work, I was thinking about early photography—pinhole cameras...

Tracing the origins: from The Lume to Nature Store

Robin Petterd: Looking through your Instagram feed, it seems like you’ve been sketching for this piece for a while...

Simon Burgin: Nature Store is a follow-up to a larger piece currently showing at The Lume in Melbourne...

A practice-based approach to art and technology

Robin Petterd: It sounds like you’re very practice-based, rather than theoretical.

Simon Burgin: Definitely. While I think a lot, I’m not an academic artist. I experiment and make things through practice...

Differentiating design and art processes

Robin Petterd: How do the processes differ for client versus art work?

Simon Burgin: With design, I work for the client—they decide the final outcome. With art, I’m the client...

Tools and technologies: shared across practices

Robin Petterd: Steph Lee mentioned using different tools for commercial versus creative work. Do you do the same?

Simon Burgin: I actually use the same tools for both. The level of craft and time might be similar, but the aesthetic can differ. I use TouchDesigner, Unreal Engine, Adobe Suite, Figma—all for both art and commercial projects...

Integrating AI and new tools into workflow

Robin Petterd: You’ve also been experimenting with AI. Has it changed your process?

Simon Burgin: I’ve been exploring tools like Stable Diffusion...

3D scanning and asset generation with Luma AI

Robin Petterd: You’re using Luma AI?

Simon Burgin: Exactly. I used to use Scaniverse and Polycam, but Luma’s toolset is great...

The challenge of resolution: knowing when to stop

Robin Petterd: What was the greatest challenge in creating Nature Store?

Simon Burgin: Knowing when to stop. With procedural systems, it's like painting or printmaking—you’re constantly tweaking...

Defining immersion in contemporary art

Robin Petterd: Why did you comment on “immersive” being overused?

Simon Burgin: I think all impactful art can be immersive. It doesn’t have to be digital...

Immersive art as experience design

Robin Petterd: What’s your advice for artists creating immersive experiences?

Simon Burgin: Consider the audience. Think about the context and how the artwork envelops the viewer...