Creating immersive nature-inspired experiences with Joel Zika

In this interview Joel Zika talks about the creative process behind “Valley of a Thousand Plants”. “Valley of a Thousand Plants" is an immersive installation that surrounds audiences with hyper-real animated plant forms that react to visitors' proximity. The installation is hosted at the Cube at the Multi-Arts Pavilion in Lake Macquarie, NSW, a 360-degree immersive digital projection space.

Joel Zika is a multimedia artist and educator currently teaching at Kent State University. He has a background in VR projects, documentaries, interactive animations, and public installations. During the interview Joel briefly discusses his PhD research on dark rides in amusement parks, exploring how the history of indoor ride design can inform contemporary media production.   

Listen to this podcast to learn about:

• The significance of Joel's research on amusement parks and how it shapes his artistic practice.
• The technical setup and challenges of creating a large-scale immersive installation.
• The role of collaboration in expanding creative projects and reaching new audiences.

Highlights

(6:01) The social dynamics of amusement parks and digital experiences

(8:55) Interactive art installations with sensor-activated plant animations

(19:28) Creating interactive spaces with simple tech

(29:08) Collaborative creativity

About Joel Zika

Dr. Joel Zika is an immersive media expert with a Ph.D. from Swinburne University in Melbourne  He is currently teaching at Kent State University, where he continues to inspire the next generation of media artists. With over 15 years of experience, his work spans virtual reality films, documentaries, and public installations, showcased globally at venues like the Moss Arts Center and Dark Mofo. An educator at institutions such as Deakin and RMIT Universities, Zika also speaks at global events like South By Southwest. A key aspect of his research is the application of game engines for the location-based entertainment sector and virtual production.    

Key takeaways

1. "Valley of a Thousand Plants" by Joel Zika is an immersive installation where animated plant forms react to visitors' movements, creating a dynamic and engaging environment. Hosted at the Cube in Lake Macquarie, NSW, the installation utilises 360-degree projection to fully surround audiences with vibrant, larger-than-life plant imagery.
   

2. Joel draws inspiration from his PhD research on dark rides in amusement parks, using insights from these immersive entertainment spaces to inform his approach to media art installations. He emphasises the importance of creating spaces that evoke wonder and engagement, much like the rides he studies.
   

3. The technical setup for "Valley of a Thousand Plants" involves the use of ultrasonic sensors and Resolume and TouchDesigner, with pre-rendered material. 
   

4. Prototyping and real-time adjustments in the actual installation space were crucial for achieving the desired visual and interactive experiences Joel explains how he tested components off-site but needed to fine-tune the setup in the Cube to ensure the plants reacted appropriately to visitors.
   

5. Collaboration now plays a significant role in Joel's creative process. He discusses working with arts producer James Voller from Collide Public Art, highlighting how their partnership brings different stories and perspectives to their projects.

Links from the podcast  

• Learn more about the Valley of a 1000 plants
• Visit the  Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima website 
• Learn more about Collide Public Art
• Visit the Joel Zika website 
• Follow Joel Zika on Instagram