Crossing

When: Saturday 22 - 30 April 2023

Daily Opening Times: 10AM -5PM
Not open Anzac day (Tue, April 25 )

Opening event: Friday, 21st of April 5.30pm – 7.30pm

Where: SOCIAL, Salamanca Arts Centre, 67 Salamanca Place, Hobart 7000

About Crossing

Experience the mesmerising journey of Crossing, an immersive installation that explores the themes of being close to the sea and the act of crossing. As you enter the space, you are greeted by wooden pathways and screens that cover the gallery floor; these are evocative of pathways, bridges or stepping stones. With each step, you are transported deeper into the experience, surrounded by fluid animations and immersive sounds that evoke the sensation of water and waves.

Drawing on my connection to water, the installation invites you to experience the sensation of being on a beach and stepping over stones, creating a dialogue with the ever-shifting waters around you.

Engage with the installation through your movement and become part of the experience, The installation draws you into a mesmerising dialogue with the ever-shifting elements of the space, encouraging reflection and contemplation. With pathways guiding your journey, you are invited to move between, to be in transition, and to arrive at a deeper understanding of your relationship to water and the sea.

Artist statement 

 For me this installation is an exploration of three interrelated themes: the experience of being close to the sea, the act of crossing, and how the practices of Japanese garden design can inform interactive art installation practice.

Water is an essential element of our existence. For me, water is a source of comfort and inspiration. My days often begin in a pool, and on weekends, I find myself walking along beaches, immersing myself in the sounds and sensations of waves.

Despite our connection to water, it remains a foreign and elusive entity. We cannot breathe it, and it can be cold and unwelcoming. However, these qualities only add to the allure of water, inspiring a sense of awe and wonder in those who engage with it.

Drawing on my connection to water, the installation takes the viewer on a journey of negotiation through the rocky terrain and stones, creating a mesmerising dialogue with the ever-shifting waters around. Through this installation, the viewer is invited to explore their relationship to water and the sea, experiencing the feeling of navigating a rocky shoreline.

What is unique about interactive installations is the way the viewer is actively involved. The viewer's actions are a core part of the experience of the works, and this space is an exploration of the act of crossing, of moving between, of being in transition and arriving. The installation draws the viewer into a mesmerising dialogue with the ever-shifting elements of the installation. It is a space for reflection and contemplation, for engaging with themselves in a new and meaningful way.

One of the challenges of interactive works is the viewer's understanding of how they work. As part of a background project, I’m developing the Setting Lights project, which explores how Japanese garden design methods can help direct the viewer's experience. Crossing specifically uses pathways to guide the viewer, creating a sense of direction and focus.

I hope Crossing invites viewers to engage with themselves and the environment in a unique and meaningful way. The installation creates a mesmerising dialogue with the ever-shifting elements of the space, encouraging reflection and contemplation.

A bit about me 

I’m Robin Petterd, a digital media artist and entrepreneur based in Lutruwita (Tasmania), Australia.

I completed a PhD from the Tasmanian School of Art, The University of Tasmania, in 2002 and was one the first people in Australia to complete a practice based PhD in digital media. The title of my thesis was ‘Liquid Sensations: Evoking sensory experiences with interactive installation art.’

My work has been included in events in Australia, the USA, and across Europe. This includes SIGGRAPH ACM and SIGGRAPH Asia, Liquid Architecture and Electrofringe events and shows at Contemporary Art Tasmania and the Hutton Gallery in the UK.

Residencies include time at Sapporo Tenjin-yama Art Studio, Sapporo, Japan. Exploring how Japanese garden design practice can inform the design of interactive video and sound installations. My residence at steim (the Studio for Electro-Instrumental Music), Amsterdam, Netherlands explored how i​nstrument making can inform the design of interactive objects.