The evolution of Lacunae with Soma Lumia

In this podcast, you will learn how Lacunae, an interactive installation by Tasmanian artist collective Soma Lumia, has evolved through multiple iterations. Lacunae is an interactive installation that enables people to dance with others in different locations through projected silhouettes and sound.

In this conversation, Darryl Rogers and Troy Merritt from Soma Lumia share the journey of Lacunae. The project was born during COVID-19 to rethink how technology shapes human connection. It was originally designed for the Mona Foma festival as events began to re-open after the COVID-19 lockdowns. Since then, it has evolved, layering live and recorded interactions—where dancers move not just across space, but across time. Lacunae has become an ongoing experiment for Soma Lumia.  

Listen to this podcast to learn about:

• The iterative process behind Lacunae and why each version is a new creative experiment.
• The role of collaboration in how Soma Lumia works.
• The transition from Kinect sensors to webcams and how this offered different creative possibilities.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) Introduction and acknowledgements

• (00:01:32) Meet the artists: Darryl and Troy
• (00:02:56) Exploring the concept of Lacunae
• (00:04:01) Development and evolution of Lacunae
• (00:09:12) Audience interaction and feedback
• (00:10:33) Technical challenges and solutions
• (00:18:11) Collaborative process and team dynamics
• (00:21:24) Reflections and advice for artists
• (00:25:59) Conclusion and final thoughts

About Soma Lumia

Soma Lumia is a tech-art collective based in Launceston, Tasmania, founded in 2015. Their work explores the boundary between physical and digital, movement and technology, real and virtual. The collective has presented projects at Illuminate Adelaide, Botanica, Beaker Street, the South Australia Museum, the University of Houston, and Mona Foma.

Their practice is deeply rooted in experimentation and collaboration, bringing in new voices—technologists, dancers, musicians, and designers—to expand each project’s scope. Lacunae is a prime example of how their work evolves over time, rather than existing as a single fixed installation. The core members are Darryl Rogers, James Riggall, and Troy Merritt.

• Darryl Rogers is a media artist working with video, installation, and immersive platforms to explore perception and spatial transformation.
• Troy Merritt is a creative technologist with over two decades of experience in media systems, interactivity, and augmented environments.
• James Riggall is an entrepreneur and educator working at the intersection of immersive technology, storytelling, and digital experience design.

Key takeaways from this interview with Darryl Rogers and Troy Merritt from Soma Lumia

"It’s essentially an interactive, multi-site installation where people can dance with others in different locations in an almost uninhibited way." – Darryl Rogers

 Lacunae creates shared experiences where participants dance together across multiple locations, interacting through video projections and sound. Each iteration of the work expands on this idea, exploring new ways to connect people through technology.

Audience response

"One of the fun things about Lacunae is that audiences take different things away from it. Some don’t even realise they’re interacting with someone else until afterward." – Troy Merritt

Some participants immediately engage in the interactive movement, while others are more hesitant. The work creates moments of surprise and discovery, with visitors sometimes realising they’ve been dancing with a past participant through a recorded "ghost" dancer.

Collaboration and artistic growth

"Collaboration is in the DNA of Soma Lumia. The work isn’t just ours; it’s shaped by the people we bring in—technologists, dancers, musicians, and more." – Troy Merritt

Soma Lumia’s projects evolve through collaboration, incorporating expertise from a variety of disciplines. Each version of Lacunae has been shaped by new creative input, expanding the scope and interactivity of the work.

The ongoing evolution

"The work continues to evolve because there’s new ways to explore it… Every time we do it, it morphs into something new." – Darryl Rogers

Lacunae reflects an iterative approach to digital art. Each presentation is a new opportunity to adapt and experiment, shaped by the site, collaborators, and technology. Rather than arriving at a finished state, the work remains open and continually responsive.

Advice

"Be open and willing to explore and trust each other with what you’re trying to do." – Darryl Rogers

 "Technology is both a tool and a challenge. Always ask—what is it actually adding? How can you refine it to create something more human?" – Troy Merritt

Soma Lumia emphasises the importance of trust and collaboration when working in a team. Having a strong, open group dynamic enables creative risk-taking and shared problem-solving. At the same time, they encourage artists working with technology to remain intentional—focusing not on complexity for its own sake, but on using technology to enhance the human experience of a work.

Links from this podcast

• Learn more about Lacunae on Soma Lumia’s website
• Learn more about Mona Foma
• Follow Soma Lumia on Instagram