site-specific digital street art, offering encounters with past moments from present place. Short videos are accessible via QR codes located where the video was recorded.
A window in time, these videos are a reminder that places exist beyond our personal experiences of them. They transform the mobile phone, so often a distraction, into a kind of time machine, taking you to a some when else.
Temporal Anomalies was part of Regeneration Roadtrip
29 September - 9 October 2022
Regeneration Roadtrip is a community-led, interactive arts project, promoting healing through reconnecting to Country.
Slow down, Stop and Reconnect on this choose-your-adventure interactive road journey from Canberra to the far South Coast. For more information and to plan your trip visit www.regenerationroadtrip.com.au
single-channel video, 15:00
video by Cat Wilson
sound by Jamie Saxe
PhotoAccess, Canberra, 2022
There is something that happens when we stand on top of a mountain or at the edge of the ocean and look out at the sky. The immensity of the scene holds us in two spaces simultaneously: an outward universal space and an inner, intensely personal one.
An immersive video installation, Sky Eternal mirrors moving cloudscapes to create a kind of kinetic Rorschach inkblot. Accompanied by an ambient soundscape, this mesmerising work mediates on the ways in which the universal and timeless sky unites us all.
single-channel video 07:17
video by Cat Wilson
sound by Jamie Saxe
Narooma Nights, Gallery Narooma, 2021
Finalist, Northern Beaches Environmental Art and Design Prize, 2021
ORBIT is a meditation on the relationship between the built and natural environments, following two trees for a year. The first, a living apple tree, shifting and changing; the second a telegraph pole, constant and fixed. The year-long time-lapse is cropped and the image is mirrored, abstracting the trees and removing their locational context.
Fragments of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, time-stretched so that the original music is no longer recognisable, form the foundation of the soundscape. This ambient score retains the harmonic shifts of Vivaldi’s original piece, reflecting the changing seasons it underscores.
About the Sentinel Project
I wanted to see what would be revealed if I paid close attention to this small overlooked corner of my neighbourhood, so set myself the task of observing it closely over the course of a year. Every week in 2009 - 2010 I photographed the tree at the same time of day and once for each of the four seasons, I made a time-lapse over 24 hours. This exercise opened up considerations of bigger universal experiences such as the movement of the planet around the sun and questions about the nature of time.
Project Blog
During the year of shooting my regular presence drew attention to the beautiful tree and the unrealised potential of this vacant lot.
I kept this weekly blog during the making the work of the work and beyond which reflects both my experience and these exciting changes.
(White houses blue skies)
Runner up, digital category, Bluethumb Art Prize, 2021
SoArt Gallery, Narooma, NSW, 2020
with Thami Benkiran as part of Urban Metamorphoses by Takafes at The French Institute Fes, Morocco, 2018
A Life Framer's editors pick as part of their recent Urban Life competition
limited edition prints from this series are available for purchase on Bluethumb
Casas blancas cielos azules is a series of large-scale digital collages utilizing architectural photographs and cyanotype prints of traditional Islamic patterns
Casablanca, a North African city, built by the French with a Spanish name; conjuring images of Hollywood romance, it was once the dream of empire and is now the financial capital of Morocco spearheading modernisation and development. I lived there for three years from 2014 – 2017, it is a new city, full of people drawn by the promise of opportunity and wealth. It is a city of extremes, filthy chaotic streets, but a clear, clean light, white buildings and bluer than blue cloudless skies day after day. Everything is beautiful in Casablanca as long as you are looking up…
Photographs of these white buildings against these clear blue skies are taken fragmented and mirrored using the same principles applied in traditional Islamic design. The process abstracts the buildings from their original form. This new entity floats in front of blueprints of pencil-line drawings of traditional Islamic patterns.
The works are studies of pattern and form exploring the tension between the drive of modernity and nostalgia for the past.
These hand made blueprints are replicas of Moroccan patterns found in Fez. They have been created by first drawing the pattern in graphite pencil to create a negative. This negative is then used to print a cyanotype image on fabric. This process is repeated and the panels are stitched together to create larger pieces.
I have attempted to not only recreate the pattern but to capture the texture and quality of the different mediums used to render them, by the traditional masters in Fez. The hard flat surface of the zelij (mosaic), the softness and depth of plaster and mashrabiya (carved wooden screens).
Cyanotype is one of the oldest, photographic printing processes. Sir John Herschel invented the Cyanotype process in 1842. After his death in 1871 Cyanotype was used as a method of reproducing architectural plans and drawings in the late 1800’s and became known as blueprint.
Works from this series are still available for purchase from Bluethumb
In 2014 I started working with Cyanotype. This is a selection of prints made as part of research for two bodies of work I am currently working on using this chemistry.
ProjectorT, Northcote Town Hall, Vic, 2012
Reel Architecture Launch, State of Design Festival, Vic, 2012
I wanted to see what would be revealed if I paid close attention to this small overlooked corner of my neighbourhood, so set myself the task of observing it closely over the course of a year. Every week I photographed the tree at the same time of day and once for each of the four seasons I made a time-lapse over 24 hours. This exercise opened up considerations of bigger universal experiences such as the movement of the planet around the sun and questions about the nature of time.
Project Blog
During the year of shooting my regular presence drew attention to the beautiful tree and the unrealised potential of this vacant lot. Transition Darebin became interested in the location and in 2010 they organised several working bees, which resulted in a garden being planted. Now when you pass the site you will regularly see people sitting enjoying the shade of the tree and what was once an abandoned lot has become a communal space for locals to use and enjoy.
I kept this weekly blog during the making the work of the work and beyond which reflects both my experience and these exciting changes.
With Michelle Hamer
Melbourne now Public Programs, National Gallery of Victoria, Vic 2014
There are no Words – Under Construction was a public program event held at the National Gallery of Victoria as part of Melbourne Now in January and February 2014.
Over two days participants could stitch around the text on ‘flash cards’ and also to create statements using the cards in a process captured through time-lapse photography.
With Michelle Hamer
Cultural Threads, City of Greater Dandenong, Vic 2014
After the success of the NGV Melbourne Now Public Programs Michelle and I were invited to be a part of the City of Greater Dandenong's Cultural Threads Festival. In June we held a workshop with the Australian Hazara Woman's Friendship Network, stitching and making photo strips from the tapestry flashcards. It was a wonderful day and very inspiring to see what the woman produced.
This video capturing the events of the day played on the Dandenong Civic Square Big Screen from Thursday 31 July to Sunday 31 August 2014.
With Alex Schmidt & Sonia Hamza
Artisan Artist Residency Sefrou, Fez, Morocco 2014
Al Aabal I'bada is an Arabic proverb which means ‘Working is a Prayer’
This non-narrative video work explores the patterns in traditional artisanal life in Morocco today. Drawing from and reflecting on the patterns shared by the artisans, in their daily work, in sounds of their world and in their shared experiences. The piece reflects the rewards of patience to be found in repetitive work as well as the possible end of that type of work for many of the traditional crafts.
Alex Schmidt took inspiration from Gnawa music rhythms and their repetitive nature to create the sound design, which makes up the spine of the piece. This was then overlayed with interviews conducted in a style inspired by those used to conduct UX Research.
Using photographs and video taken by me Cat Wilson and French photographer Sonia Hamsa, Alex also did most of the editing of the visual component of the piece. The images and footage were captured over several weeks during visits to the studios and workshops of the artisans.
While living in Morocco I have worked with several organisations to document their projects, creating both stills and video documentation, along with written articles.
In Australia I documented several art exhibitions, Street Festivals and other live performance events.
Clients have included:
Coventry University, Art of Islamic Pattern, Culture Vultures Fez, City of Greater Dandenong, National Gallery Victoria, Three Shades Black
From 2012 - 2015 I was Exhibitions Project Coordinator at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image having worked on several major shows such ‘Shaun Tan’s the Lost Thing: From Book to Film’, ‘Hollywood Costume’, and most recently ‘DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition’. Previously I have held positions at ACMI as an installation technician working on over 16 shows and as Acting Registrar (2009-2010) on the shows ‘Len Lye, Setting the Scene’ and ‘Dennis Hopper and the New Hollywood’.
Exhibtion installation images by Mark Ashkanasy
Moving Scores by 3 Shades Black, Musica Viva, Vic, 2014
Kodak Salon, CCP, Vic, 2010
Gertrude Street Projection Festival, Vic, 2009
Drawing upon the tradition of early chrono-photographers Eadweard Muybridge and Etienne-Jules Marey. My approach was to use the camera as a technical instrument of observation; to devise a process with which to capture motion through time and reveal to the eye what is always there but not easily apparent. My hope is that the artifact produced extends beyond detached observation and captures something of the beauty of the moon, the place, the time.
Linden Postcard show, Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts, Vic, 2013
A small homage to Muybridge, an opportunity to dissect a photograph tone by tone and put it back together.
Whilst I do not specialize in Wedding photography I have been lucky enough to be asked to photograph a few. I like to take a candid approach, avoid set up shots and capture the mood and flavour of the day.
Sculpture 2011, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery
Yering Station Sculpture exhibition, Vic 2011
We have produced more plastic in the late decade than in the entire previous century.
A Time-lapse captures the memory of two meadows, one reclaimed plastic the other grass. Then the virtual is projected onto the actual and we see the natural overcome and reclaim the artificial.
"Men go and come, but earth abides."
Ecclesiastes 1:4
with Michelle Hamer
Craft Victoria, Vic, 2011
Dangling Carrots consisted of large tapestries by Michelle Hamer, of signage within everyday suburbia, accompanied by smaller tapestries of ‘No Road’ signage. Taken at different suburban edge locations these signs literally mark edges and raise personal questions of how to proceed when life appears to be a series of challenges. The ‘No Road’ works indicate both the end and momentary boundaries of Melbourne housing developments.
I produced a series of videos which documented the prodcution of the ‘No Road’ tapestries. Every half hour spent stitching was crafted into a loop and then stitched into footage taken of the original source location. these vidoes were then projected on to screens made out of white wool stitched using the same technique as the Michelle's tapastries.
The videos can be viewed here https://vimeo.com/channels/danglingcarrots
I love to take to the streets, camera in hand to capture candid portraits of strangers and events. Here there is no image or idea in mind. I cease to exist and find freedom in the challenge to hone my skills and capture the moment, the person, the place
Following my graduation from the VCA School of Drama in 2003 I worked closely with Australian writers to direct and produce five works of new Australian writing in the years 2004-2009. Here is a selection of some of the work that I did during that time.
