Issue No.

39 • January 2024 • Special Edition

COLLECT ART

DIGITAL ‘Reprocessed Stellar Medium XVII’ by Lewis Andrews

ART
Welcome to Volume 39 of our esteemed art magazine, a groundbreaking edition
dedicated to the cutting-edge realm of digital art and the global visionaries who pioneer
its frontiers. In this edition, we embark on a riveting exploration of the ever-evolving
landscape where technology and creativity intertwine, pushing the boundaries of artistic
expression.

The digital revolution has heralded a transformative era for artists worldwide, unleashing
a torrent of innovative techniques, mediums, and concepts. As we navigate through the
virtual galleries of this volume, we are privileged to showcase the works of international
digital artists who navigate the digital canvas with unparalleled skill and imagination.

Our curated selection introduces you to a diverse array of digital masterpieces, each a
testament to the power of technology harnessed by the hands of creative virtuosos. From
mesmerizing digital paintings that defy the constraints of traditional media to immersive
interactive experiences that blur the lines between art and audience, this edition is a
testament to the vibrant global tapestry of digital creativity.

Join us on a journey that transcends geographical boundaries and cultural nuances, as

we celebrate the convergence of art, technology, and the human spirit. These pages
serve as a portal into the minds of digital artists who navigate the complex interplay of
algorithms, pixels, and emotions to craft narratives that resonate on a universal scale.

As you immerse yourself in the captivating stories and techniques behind each artwork,
envision the future of artistry through the lens of these international digital trailblazers.
Volume 39 is an ode to the limitless possibilities of digital art, inviting you to witness the
unfolding narrative of a global community pushing the boundaries of what is conceivable
in the realm of creativity.

We extend our gratitude to the featured artists for sharing their visions and contributing to
the collective tapestry of digital artistry. May this edition inspire, provoke thought, and
serve as a testament to the boundless potential that lies at the intersection of art and
technology.

Welcome to a journey through the pixels and algorithms, where innovation knows no
bounds and creativity knows no borders.
 Digital Art

TABLE OF CONTENTS

03 INTRODUCTION
05 DAPHNE TING-YU CHU &
TENG XUE

12 LEWIS ANDREWS
16 JACK CATLING

22 BOB HELLYER
27 AARON OLDENBURG

34 ADAM STRANGE
42 BRONIA GARDNER
DAPHNE TING-YU CHU
Daphne is a London-based multidisciplinary artist and lighting designer for interactive
installations, spatial experiences, audiovisual arts, and live performances. She has
exhibited her art projects on the global stage and participated in over 200 lighting
productions for arena-scale live events worldwide, including venues such as MGM Grand
Garden Arena(Las Vegas), The O2 Arena(London), AccorHotels Arena(Paris), Qudos Bank
Arena(Sydney), Singapore National Stadium, Stadium Negara(Kuala Lumpur), Nest-type
Beijing Olympic Stadium.
Her works combine visual/ sound art and technology to create interactive and immersive
experiences. As a former researcher in the Interactive Architecture Lab, her research
explores the disconnection between mind and body in tangible physical space and
perceived space. She is interested in creating shifting perceptions of fluid space in continual
flux through sensory perception to reshape people's experiences.

&

Teng is a multidisciplinary artist whose creative journey traverses the realms of architecture,
virtual reality, installation art, film, and experiential design. He was a researcher at the
Interactive Architecture Lab. He’s also the co-founder of Elixirt Studio. With a rich
background in architecture, sociology, and interaction design, Teng not only possesses the
academic foundation and potential to excel in the creative field but also his unbridled belief
in the boundless nature of creativity has led him down diverse and unconventional paths
within the artistic industry. His cognition of sociology, especially his unique understanding
of queer culture, and his interest in the combination of body movement expression in
projects bring unique perspectives, values, and experiences to his artistic works. His works
have been exhibited and featured in several international design and art festivals, including
Beijing Design Week, SOLANA Light Festival, West Lake Art Center, and Ars Electronica.

TENG XUE
05
How did you transition from being a lighting designer for live events to a multidisciplinary
artist working on interactive installations and spatial experiences?
When designing lighting for live performances, my emphasis lies in storytelling and fostering
emotional connections with audiences. This prompts me to consider how I can deepen this
connection, transforming spectators from passive observers to active participants who feel the
concept during the experience. Utilizing interactive technology enables me to craft immersive
experiences where the audience plays an integral role in shaping the narrative of the space and
creating meaningful connections.
Can you share some insights into your experience of participating in over 200 lighting
productions for arena-scale live events worldwide?
It's an incredible experience for me. My journey began with a passion for music, leading me to
prioritize sound visualization in my designs. I play with various textures of sound and light to
enhance musical nuances and convey song dynamics. Another focal point of my design is
narrative visualization. I craft immersive experiences that resonate with the scenarios of the songs
through lights, aiming to deepen the audience's connection to the performance.
As a former researcher in the Interactive Architecture Lab, how has your research
influenced your approach to creating interactive and immersive experiences in your art
projects?
My research at the Interactive Architecture Lab expanded my understanding of the intricate
relationship between space and its inhabitants. This insight prompted me to explore avenues for
enhancing people's experiences through interactive installations, creating a dynamic interplay
between the physical and digital realms... The insights gained from my research influenced how I
reshape spatial experiences that focus more on people than effect.
Your work often combines visual/sound art and technology. How do these elements come
together to create the desired interactive and immersive experiences?
I believe that vision and hearing, as two pivotal human senses, play a crucial role in crafting an
immersive environment. When intertwining sound and visuals, I meticulously manipulate diverse
textures and elements to transport my audience into a specific scene. Interactive technology
serves as the enabler, enhancing the sensory dimensions further, and allowing audiences to feel
the concept come alive through a multisensory experience.
Could you elaborate on your interest in exploring the disconnection between mind and
body in tangible physical space and perceived space? How does this theme manifest in
your art?
This exploration manifests in my art through the deliberate manipulation of spatial elements,
challenging conventional perceptions and inviting viewers to reconsider their relationship with the
environment. I create a fluid space continually reshaped by sound and light, disrupting the
expected connection between what is physically present and what is perceived. The juxtaposition
of conflicting spatial cues prompts viewers to question their sensory interpretations, creating a
contemplative engagement with the disconnection between mind and body.
In reshaping people's experiences through sensory perception, what specific techniques
or approaches do you employ to create shifting perceptions of fluid space?
In my previous project, AfterGlow, I employ a variety of approaches. Firstly, I integrate dynamic
lighting schemes that play with color temperature, intensity, and movement, transforming the
visual landscape and influencing how individuals perceive the space around them. Secondly, I

06 Daphne Ting-Yu Chu

utilize soundscapes that are carefully designed to evolve and interact with the spatial
environment. Finally, interactive experiences allow individuals to become co-creators, influencing
the spatial narrative in real time and providing a sense of agency over their perceptual
experiences.
What challenges or opportunities do you find in working at the intersection of art and
technology, particularly in the context of interactive installations?
When audiences become co-creators of the project, the unpredictability of how each individual
interacts with it poses a challenge during the design phase. However, this uncertainty is also the
beauty of interactive art. The intersection of art and technology in interactive installations presents
challenges in terms of technical adaptability, collaboration, and accessibility. Nevertheless, these
challenges also offer exciting potential for innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the
creation of immersive experiences that redefine the boundaries of traditional art forms.
Are there specific themes or messages you aim to convey through your art, especially
considering its immersive and interactive nature?
Considering its immersive and interactive nature, I aim to empower the audience by allowing them
to decide the message they want to receive through interaction. The concept of connectivity is
recurrent in my work, between individuals, people, and their surroundings, and between
technology and humanity. I seek to create experiences that transcend individual perspectives and
encourage a shared, collective engagement with the art, emphasizing the interconnectedness of
human experiences.
Can you share some memorable or impactful moments from your global exhibitions and
lighting productions?
I don't think I have a specific impactful moment, the significance lies in the gradual evolution of my
understanding of art and design throughout my journey. In the initial stages of my career, my
focus predominantly revolved around considering others' perspectives and how they defined my
work. However, as my journey unfolded, It shifted my perspective from external validation to the
intrinsic value of the artistic process and the connections forged between the artwork and its
observers.
Looking ahead, what excites you about the future of interactive art and the possibilities it
holds for shaping human experiences?
I am particularly enthusiastic about the evolving integration of artificial intelligence in interactive
art, sparking curiosity about how these technologies can contribute to a more dynamic and
personalized artistic experience. Furthermore, collaborations at the intersection of various
disciplines, such as neuroscience, psychology, and environmental sciences, present exciting
avenues for deeper explorations into the impact of interactive art on human cognition and
emotions. I can't wait to be a part of this transformative journey.

07 Daphne Ting-Yu Chu

 Parallel

Acrylic, LED lights, lenticular lens

128x128x10cm, 2023

Within the vast cosmic expanse, each entity exists in parallel, seemingly entwined yet standing
solitary. This project peels back the layers of existence to reveal the delicate balance between
solitude and connection through different textures of light and sound. ​ "Parallel" is an interactive
audiovisual installation in between performance and experience. It invites participants to engage
by their movements, transforming discrete components into a living entity resonating with and
responding to human interaction. We collected sound from moments of solitude, modulated it
digitally based on participants' movements in real-time, and visualized it with projection mapping
and lights. ​ As we explore the interplay of light and sound, we redefine the boundaries of
perception, casting light upon the depths of our shared experiences and emphasizing the
paradoxical beauty of interconnectedness.

Editorial note:
In the realm of human connection, "parallel" assumes a poetic essence, embodying the
exquisite intertwining of paths without the necessity of convergence. In our latest issue of
Collect Art, we are happy to have Daphne Ting-Yu Chu and Teng Xue with their artwork
“Parallel” to give us a different definition of human connection through the lens of new
media art. By using interactive technology and audiovisual expression, “parallel”
challenges everyone’s standard of what human connection means to them. As
participants/performers, triggering, fascinating and thought-provoking are the common
reviews that we have noticed. Standing before the immersive visuals and enveloping
soundscape, individuals are transported into the unique realm crafted by Daphne and
Teng. This immersive encounter transcends mere observation, evolving into an
experimental performance that merges lights, sounds, and movements, inviting
participants to explore the boundaries of perception and connection. In "Parallel," Daphne
and Teng have not only redefined the parameters of new media art but have also
reimagined the very essence of human connection. Through their innovative fusion of
technology and expression, they beckon us to embark on a journey of discovery—one
where parallels converge and connections abound.
You have a background in architecture, sociology, and interaction design. How do these
diverse fields contribute to your multidisciplinary approach to art?
My background in architecture has equipped me with a spatial understanding, allowing the
creation of immersive environments for projects like "Parallel." Sociology plays a crucial role by
providing insights into human behavior and shaping the interactive elements in a way that
resonates with participants. Additionally, my skills in interaction design contribute to crafting
meaningful user experiences, bridging the conceptual and sensory aspects of the art installation.
This multidisciplinary approach enriches my artistic endeavors, fusing structure, social dynamics,
and user engagement to create impactful, interconnected experiences.
How has your academic background influenced your creative process and the themes?
As a researcher at the Interactive Architecture Lab, I was amazed by the fact that individuals in
such roles often leverage diverse academic backgrounds. The interdisciplinary nature of
Interactive Architecture Lab allows researchers like me to approach projects with a holistic view,
influencing their creative process and enabling exploration of nuanced themes, like the intricate
interplay between solitude and connection showcased in the "Parallel" project was also partly
inspired by my experience there in the lab.
Can you elaborate on your unique understanding of queer culture and how it shapes your
perspective in your artistic works?
As an Asian queer artist living in the UK, my unique journey shapes a diverse perspective evident
in my artistic works. Embracing my cultural roots alongside my experiences in the UK, my art
weaves a tapestry of multiple identities. The richness of my cultural background inspires
narratives infused with diverse traditions, though the delicate balance of assimilation and
occasional displacement presents challenges. Through my art, I aim to amplify marginalized
voices, exploring the complexities of identity, belonging, and the evolving landscape of queer
culture in a continuous journey of self-discovery and expression.
Your works have been exhibited at various international design and art festivals. How has
the experience of showcasing your art in different cultural contexts influenced you?
Participating in diverse international design and art festivals has profoundly shaped my creative
evolution. Presenting my work in various cultural contexts not only broadens the reach of my art
but also provides invaluable insights and perspectives from different audiences. The dynamic
dialogue sparked by feedback during these exhibitions influences the trajectory of my creations,
fostering a deeper understanding of their impact. The global exposure of my art cultivates a
continuous dialogue with diverse audiences, leading to unexpected collaborations and ideas that
contribute significantly to my evolving artistic identity.
Could you share some insights into your exploration of body movement expression in
your projects? How does this aspect play a role in your artistic expression?
Within the realm of queer identities, my artistic expression is profoundly shaped by the exploration
of body movement. In my Mixed Reality project, "Ovah - the R34LN455 BALL," inspired by
ballroom and voguing, I experimentally abstracted five dance movement elements into a VR
experience and an Exoskeleton. The unique authenticity and power inherent in queer community
expressions through movement fuel my interest in capturing these nuances, transforming them
into deeply personal and meaningful artistic creations. "Ovah" signifies a continuous exploration,
seamlessly blending technology and art to convey the diverse expressions of queer body
language, fostering a deep respect for its beauty and uniqueness.

10 Teng Xue
Being the co-founder of Elixirt Studio, what inspired you to establish this studio?
Elixirt Studio was founded with the inspiration to embody my artistic mission, combining "elixir"
and "Trix" to symbolize a magical blend of pleasure and joy through art. My commitment to
infusing positivity and transformative experiences aligns seamlessly with the notion of an elixir,
representing my dedication to creating engaging, playful, and interactive works. The incorporation
of "Trix" underscores my focus on producing aesthetically pleasing creations that actively engage
the audience. Elixirt Studio serves as a structured platform, allowing me to translate artistic
aspirations into tangible, impactful projects, ensuring that the magic of art becomes a catalyst.
How does virtual reality enhance or transform the artistic experience?
I am passionate about leveraging virtual reality to unlock new and experimental sensory
experiences, fostering unparalleled engagement and creativity. Despite current technical
constraints, the future of VR art holds immense potential for diversity and expanded possibilities.
In my artwork, "Ovah - the R34LN355 BALL," I explore the unique perspective VR offers when the
physical body is constrained by tangible space, contemplating the contrast between virtual and
physical limitations. Looking ahead, my artistic focus revolves around the intersection of virtual
reality, physical constraints, and the boundless opportunities for creative expression, pushing the
boundaries of what VR art can achieve.
Are there specific messages or themes you aim to convey through your art?
I always keep artistic themes diverse, perhaps stemming from my approach during the initial
phases of creation, where I intentionally avoid rigid constraints on specific messages or content
forms. However, many of my works consistently express certain sociological viewpoints, such as
empathy, identity, the dynamics between minority and mainstream groups, conflicts among
different communities, and the essence of human connection. I attribute this thematic consistency
to my background in sociology, queer studies, and interaction design. The diverse academic
foundation fuels my artistic pursuit to convey and at times alter, societal narratives through design
and artistic expression. As a multidisciplinary artist, I find immense satisfaction in using my unique
perspective to engage with and potentially reshape societal contradictions, making a distinctive
contribution to the creative landscape.
Can you share a memorable experience or project that had a significant impact?
Embarking on the immersive mixed reality art project "OVAH," inspired by ballroom culture,
became a pivotal moment in my artistic journey. The research and prototyping phase presented
significant challenges in accurately portraying the intricate facets of the queer community. In
response, I adopted a unique methodology—immersing myself within the ballroom community,
fostering a deep, personal connection with its culture and nuances. This hands-on experience not
only unveiled a distinctive mode of self-expression but also underscored the transformative
impact of personal involvement and empathy in achieving authentic artistic representation.
Looking forward, what excites you about the future of multidisciplinary art?
I am excited about the limitless possibilities that multidisciplinary art offers, seamlessly blending
diverse elements and mediums for creative exploration. The intersection of virtual reality,
immersive experiences, and sound integration is particularly intriguing for me. These technologies
provide a unique platform to push artistic boundaries, creating immersive journeys that deeply
engage audiences. I look forward to exploring the synergy between visual art, technology, and
sensory experiences in my upcoming projects, bringing innovation to the forefront of my creative
endeavors.

11 Teng Xue
LEWIS
ANDREWS
Lewis Andrews moved to Leeds in 2016 to study a BA(Hons) in Fine Art at Leeds Arts
University. After graduating in 2019, Lewis continues to work in Leeds. In 2022, Lewis
completed his Postgraduate Fine Arts Degree at Leeds Arts University, graduating with a
Masters Degree in the Creative Arts. During his Master’s Degree, Lewis’s practice became
deeply focused on the methodology of translating information and data from sources within
science into artworks. Lewis has continued to work and build upon this method in his work
constructing a theory of working called ‘The Informative Encounter’.

The ‘Reprocessed Stellar Medium’ series of digitally enhanced drawings attempts to reintroduce the elements
that went into the making of a physical drawing into the interstellar medium (ISM). The interstellar medium is
the matter that can occupy the space between stars. When supergiant stars die in supernovae the elements
that were fused within their cores are blasted out into space and mixed with the interstellar medium. The
digitally enhanced drawings are a glimpse into the future of the elements that make our planet and sun once
their life cycles come to an end and the elements return to the ISM.
digital drawing, 59,4x84,1cm each, 2021

Reprocessed Stellar Medium V 12

Could you elaborate on how you visually represent concepts in your art?
The initial ideas originate from a simple interest in the subject which leads to further research of
the subject matter. Once complete, I employ a conceptual approach to making art where the idea
takes priority over the material usage. My work often attempts to then visualize the subject matter
in order to stimulate what I’ve theorized as an ‘Informative Encounter’ with the work and the
information within.
Some of your pieces explore moments of extreme power and creation on both molecular
and cosmic scales. How do you approach translating them into tangible artworks?
The artworks when dealing with these phenomena need to try and condense the subject matter
into what I like to refer to as ‘Stepping Stones’. What I mean by this is visually making it easier for
our minds to comprehend such information in small digestible chunks (or at least attempting to).
Therefore, making some of the information easier to understand and learn from through the use
of visual preference as a species.
Nature and our place within the universe seem to be recurring themes in your art. What
draws you to explore these subjects, and how do you hope your audience will respond to
them?
This aspect of my work can be traced back to myself asking myself constantly ‘What’s our place
within this cosmos?’. Honestly, I don’t mind if the answer turns out to be something like we are
insignificant, it’s the asking of the question that’s the fun part for me due to all the learning
involved to get to the answer (which will probably never be answered). When it comes to the
audience, this is a question I like to leave open, what do they feel their place is in our cosmos?

Reprocessed Stellar Medium VII 13

Moving to Leeds to study Fine Art and completing your Postgraduate Degree there must
have influenced your artistic journey. Can you share how your time in Leeds has shaped
your vision?
100%. My studies for my Bachelor's and master's Degrees in Leeds have shaped my practice to
become what it is today. The way I like to think of it is my Bachelor’s laid the foundations of my
practice by guiding me to different subject matters that fascinated me and creating work based on
those interests. My Master’s built a superstructure on top of those foundations by focusing on how
the subject matter should be communicated and spending time to develop the theory of an
‘Informative Encounter’ methodology of working.
Your exhibitions have taken place across the UK and internationally. Have you noticed any
differences in how viewers from different regions or cultures interpret and engage?
Yes. People from all walks of life have now encountered my work and it’s interesting to see the
different responses I’ve gotten from the variety of work and development of trying to stimulate the
‘Informative Encounter’ with the audience. Above all else, the most important aspect for me is that
the work so far has opened up conversations between the audience out of general curiosity about
the subject matter and wanting to learn more.
In your artistic process, do you find yourself drawn more to meticulous research and
planning, or do you often allow spontaneous and intuitive decisions to guide your work?
It mostly falls into meticulous research and planning naturally when dealing with subject matter
from the realms of science and nature. Although not always, spontaneous decisions are great fun
when they do happen.

Reprocessed Stellar Medium XVII 14

The combination of fine art and science is unique in your work. How do you strike a
balance between artistic expression and scientific accuracy, especially when dealing with
complex scientific concepts?
The artwork itself doesn’t necessarily have to be visually accurate as long as it remains true to
aspects of the scientific information that spawned the work. The balance and line between the two
subjects shifts for each work with some being more artistic expression than scientific accuracy
whilst others are vice versa. The finding of this balance is found through meticulous
experimentation and thinking about how the idea in question could most effectively be
communicated through an ‘Informative Encounter’.
Is the end result more important than the process? Or the process? Or are they equal?
Equal within my practice. To stimulate the informative encounter I mentioned earlier, the artwork
needs to translate the scientific information visually in which the audience can access that
information. Then, of course, there’s the end product which catalyzes the informative encounter.
What do you do to keep yourself motivated and interested in your work?
Sounds ironic but take breaks. Whether that be a day, a week, or sometimes a month. Nobody
can work on art 24/7 effectively. When I come back, I’m fully motivated again. The other main
factor would be continuing to explore ideas and theories within science which I’m naturally curious
about and then trying to visualize them within an artwork.

Reprocessed Stellar Medium XVIII

15
JACK
CATLING
Jack Catling is a UK-based artist, who works across a range of media including
performance, installation, sculpture, and film. Since 2002, Inspired by the faultlines where
reality, theatrical illusion, and suspension of disbelief grind against each other, Catling's
work has been examining the awkward moments where these elements fray and what is
produced from these collisions. Catling is interested in the way this intersects with Walter
Benjamin’s notion of the “blue distance” that “never gives way to foreground or dissolves
at our approach,” presenting these moments as a lens for bringing into question our
acceptance of the world around us; an interrogation that necessitates a gradual reveal of
the magical backstage layers of the world around us.

Jack Catling has been living and working in London for over 20 years, using the fabric of
the city, its structures, and its relationships with other spaces as a way of driving his artistic
practice forward. He is also the founding member of the performance group Parlour
Collective, a group project exploring space and memory across different unique locations
worldwide, and the co-director of Cabaret Melancholique, a 20-year experiment in
warped music hall. As a filmmaker Catling has produced several films, including the multi-
award-winning 'Scenes, Overheard' and 'Shifting Landscapes', that have participated in a
large number of prestigious international film festivals. Catling’s fictional writing has also
been published in various journals and publications.

Can you elaborate on how the faultlines between reality, theatrical illusion, and
suspension of disbelief inspire and shape your artistic exploration?
For me, the idea of wonder is a powerful thing, the way it forces into a space of questioning and
flux; a liminal space where the potential of things that may previously have been fixed becomes
malleable. These faultlines are where this potential for wonder emerges; a similar space to that
which can appear momentarily in conjuring, where an empty cup ceases to be an empty cup, or
the coin ceases to contain the qualities equated with its coin-ness.
How does the concept of the "blue distance," as introduced by Walter Benjamin, influence
your work, particularly in bringing into question our acceptance of the world around us?
I find Walter Benjamin’s concept of “blue distance” intriguing, where instead of distance giving
way or dissolving upon approach, it “looms more compact and threatening” confronting us with its
non-presence. It has influenced the way I have tried to move focus away from the art object or
spectacle, to the spatial, drawing its solidity and place-ness into question. I find this a more useful
vessel for the creation of wonder as, in my opinion, it permeates the every day more readily than
any single object or point of focus.

16
Living and working in London for over 20 years, how have the city and its structures
influenced and driven your artistic practice?
Living in London has shaped my approach to making work. It is a city that, in spatial terms,
rewards curiosity and exploration. On one walk you can move between several cities and many
times, an identity in flux with myriad possibilities. Also on a practical level, it is one of the most
expensive cities in the world, which has influenced my practice - no studio, trying to find a place to
sit and think, no materials, trying to make any existing materials do many different things, shaping
much of my approach to film and performance work.
As the founding member of Parlour Collective, how does the exploration of space and
memory across unique locations contribute to your understanding of these concepts in
your artistic work?
Parlour Collective began with an interest in the possibility of spaces, and how having many
different perspectives haunt a space simultaneously. There is a research strand inherent in that,
and the insights and conversations that have arisen from each show/event/film, certainly enrich
my own experience and thoughts around space/presence allowing me to develop my work from
many new and intriguing angles.
Could you share insights into Cabaret Melancholique, as you’ve been organizing it for the
last 5/6 years and performing within it since its inception, how does this project intersect
with your broader artistic interests?
Cabaret Melancholique was started over 20 years ago by the filmmaker Tony Grisoni, and writer
Brian Catling, and in 2017 was passed over to Aaron Williamson, Simon Raven, and myself who
had all been involved from the beginning. The cabaret and its overtones have certainly pushed
the idea of the stage act further into my practice, with valuable lessons around stage presence, its
relationship with the audience, and ways of playing with this interaction. Presence is at the core of
my practice, now moving more toward the performance of absence, which pulls from my
experiences with both performing for and arranging the Cabaret Melancholique.
In your role as a filmmaker, what role does narrative play in your films, particularly in
award-winning works like 'Scenes, Overheard' and 'Shifting Landscapes'?
I like the idea of narrative as a shifting thing, of a film that changes its narrative at each view
depending on what’s seen in the frame and what the viewer is feeling at the time. This is very
much the approach taken to works such as the ones mentioned; a collective and almost
accidental approach to filmmaking that relies on instinct and conversation, exploring individual
possibilities through different perspectives of the group (Pavana Reid, David Stearn, Matthew
Luck Galpin, and myself). The title of both films reflects this, with ‘Scenes, Overheard’ referring to
that process of whispers; or the ‘game of the ear’ which is popular across many cultures
throughout history, where the original message transforms as the whispers progress.
Your work involves a range of media, including performance, installation, sculpture, and
film. How do you decide which medium to employ for a particular artistic concept or idea?
This is quite organic in my process. Often a concept or idea emerges naturally into a particular
medium or combination of media. Sometimes an idea can live contently as just a conversation or
a string of thoughts. I don’t view things as separate works, in that way, more a series of visible
expressions emerging haphazardly from a continuously evolving concept, or a series of
experiments in this process.

17
 Blue chair, 2012

A blue chair makes its silent journey across a frozen lake in the middle of winter.
 Scenes, Overheard, 2021

A series of scenes mis-heard between the town and the surrounding landscape create an odd dialogue that drifts between the two.
How do you approach the process of gradually revealing the magical backstage layers of
the world around us in your artistic practice?
All the elements used within my work; the props, actions, framing, position of the camera, and
stage scenery are being used to present an awkwardly surface vision of the world, holding clues
to the romanticized or mythologized human portrait within it. The way it is presented allows the
notion of a theatrical backstage to emerge as a kind of mysterious space where the rules of
reality are paused, existing fleetingly outside everyday existence. But at the same time,
confusing, claustrophobic, and ready to fall apart at any moment. I try to maintain the
tenuousness of that environment and the fragile promise of freedom that it holds.
Can you share more about your fictional writing? How does your writing intersect with
your visual and performance-based work?
My writing work often intersects with my experience of place, trying to find through words some of
the experiences, memories, and feelings of navigating various places. As an avid reader, I feel
that the process of reading and writing are both akin to exploring an unfamiliar environment,
wandering and encountering things through new eyes via the mechanism of curiosity. Because of
this, I find the act of writing acts as a form of research for me and my practice, allowing me to
rediscover experiences through language and learn through sharing them.
In examining the awkward moments where reality and theatrical illusion intersect, what
emotions or responses do you hope to evoke in your audience?
I wouldn’t say I’m trying to elicit any particular emotion from those who experience my work, more
hoping that encountering it in its intended environment will allow for a moment of doubt, wonder,
or curiosity: an opening for the possibility of new ways of looking at the familiar.

Neighbour, 2020

A brief moment of uncanny encounter across a garden wall.

20
Through the Window, 2020

The passing of moments and changing seasons as witnessed through an imagined window.

Through the Window 2, 2022

A solitary window looks out onto changing scenes, landscapes, and moments. A film inspired by moments of
childhood wonder and narrative, half remembered and half invented when daydreaming by the window.
BOB
HELLYER
Bob began his professional journey as a technical assistant at the BBC, transitioning to the
role of a house electrician in a local theater. Subsequently, he joined a computer
peripheral company, initially as a prototype wireman and later as a test engineer.
Simultaneously, he pursued a passion for music by running a mobile disco during his spare
time, eventually paving the way into the music business.
After spending 25 years as a stage lighting designer in the entertainment industry, and
traveling extensively with well-known performers worldwide, he experienced a significant
life change when his partner became pregnant with their son. Choosing to step away from
the touring scene, he embraced family life in Spain until his retirement. During this period,
he developed a keen interest in digital art.
His exploration into digital art began when he received a link to a Photoshop technique,
despite only having GIMP at his disposal. Undeterred, he found the software to be virtually
identical and delved into manipulating photos. This initial foray evolved into experimenting
with black-and-white objects, eventually leading him to explore the captivating world of
coloring them. Throughout this creative journey, he continued to learn and experiment,
encountering moments of excitement with each new project.

As his skills progressed, he

incorporated drafting skills into his
work and developed a fascination
for Sacred Geometry. The
exploration of this intricate subject
proved to be both fascinating and
rewarding. Over time, he ventured
into creating "Pictures" with less
emphasis on symmetry, although his
love for geometry persisted. This
creative evolution is documented on
his website, which follows a roughly
chronological order, even detailing
his initial, perhaps embarrassing,
beginnings. This transformative
journey spanned approximately five
years.

Sunrise in Glastonbury, 2023 22

Your journey into digital art took an interesting trajectory, starting from a technical
assistant at the BBC to eventually diving into Photoshop and manipulating photos. How
did your diverse background in stage lighting and the music business influence your
approach to digital art?
Music has always been an essential piece of my life - I had a mobile disco back in the early 70s
which I built using my electronics experience - and my love of music took me into the
entertainment industry. Music has color, and I knew what colors enhanced what emotion in the
music and what combinations could provide punctuation, etc. and previously working for a
computer company gave me a grounding to the digital age. I also had a qualification in
engineering drawing and a lot of experience since then with CAD and Photoshop.
Can you elaborate on the transition from manipulating colored photos to exploring the
manipulation of black-and-white objects? How did this shift open up a new creative world
for you?
I was sent a link to a YouTube Photoshop process by a friend who knew I might be interested. I
had been doing the artwork for my own company so I had a go. It was great fun, but after a while
of addiction, I was bored and had a sudden inspiration to see what would happen if I tried it with
solid black geometric shapes on a white background. The result seemed to form 3D objects from
flat 2D shapes. I tried applying colors and other effects and distortions and it just evolved from
there.

23 Double Hexagon DH-9, 2023

Sacred Geometry plays a significant role in your work. What drew you to this particular
subject, and how does it inform your artistic expression?
I don't know when I came to start working with sacred geometry. I have always been interested in
mathematics and geometry in general and had run out of basic shapes, so did a little bit of
research and rapidly became intrigued; not only with the geometry, but the esoteric values too,
and the fact that nature uses a lot of this geometry. It can produce spectacular patterns.
You mentioned experiencing "WoW! moments" with each new project. Could you share a
specific project or moment that stands out as particularly impactful or transformative in
your artistic journey?
A lot of my work is experimental and therefore there are bound to be unexpected results from time
to time. It would be difficult to pinpoint one particular occurrence, but I remember experimenting
with a colored background that turned out to be a picture in itself.
It may not be a WoW! for everyone, but to me at the time it gave me such a rush!
If I stopped experimenting, I would never progress and lose those precious moments.
Your experimentation led you to explore less symmetric creations and move towards
"Pictures" instead of patterns. How did this evolution impact your artistic style, and what
motivated this shift?
Oh! This was a huge step! Not to say that all my previous work was symmetric, but my sacred
geometry was leaning heavily that way. I was getting in a bit of a rut and whilst showing some of
my work to a friend that I met here in Glastonbury, who is an architect and whose designs are
based on sacred geometry, he said that my asymmetric work he liked the most; it is more
interesting. As soon as he said it I knew he was right!
Up until then I never had an aim to draw anything in particular; I let art lead the way! (In fact, a lot
of the time it still does anyway) So now I have more of a direction. I still love drawing symmetrical
geometry though, another string to my bow.

Weapon, 2023 Warp Drive, 2023

24
Your website showcases your artistic progression, even including what you describe as
"embarrassing beginnings." How important is it for you to document and display the
evolution of your work?
I think it is interesting to chart progress, even if it is only for my own purposes. But why not be
completely open to everyone?
I never throw things away. Being digital, I may use something from the dim and distant past to use
in another project. (Like Pink Floyd, I have a "box" of useful bits.)
With a background in drafting skills, how do you balance precision and symmetry with the
more organic and asymmetric elements in your art?
I suppose mostly now my drawings are hybrid. When experimenting with geometry, precision is
essential for things to line up properly. I have tried without CAD and it doesn't satisfy my aim for
precision. Maybe that is just OCD, but Fibonacci curves themselves are asymmetric to start with.
However symmetric objects like platonic solids can be included in non-symmetric pictures, and
indeed are.

Blutterfry_2b,4,7,11a,14,15_No7

Abstract woven digital silk

2023

25
The span of your artistic journey covers approximately five years. How has your
perspective on digital art evolved during this time, and what do you foresee in the
future of your artistic exploration?
An interesting question! I am not a trained graphic artist. I am self-taught in all aspects,
but I see professional works that are stunning but try not to be "like them" - not that I
could anyway. I think I will continue doing things "the wrong way" and keep having WoW!
moments. And the paints are too messy! (I am in two thoughts as to AI. Although some
of the images are stunning, I think it's "cheating")
Living in Spain and becoming a family man marked a significant shift in your
career. How did this lifestyle change impact your artistic pursuits and the subjects
you chose to explore?
Whilst running a business, my only artistic input was designing and producing artwork for
the business. It wasn't until I retired in 2018 that I started to devote my skills to pleasure.
I have always been a "maker", be it wood, metal, whatever, so drawing, then printing and
framing was in a way destiny I suppose.
As someone who has traveled the world with well-known figures in the
entertainment industry, how does your global experience influence the themes or
narratives you choose to depict in your digital art?
None that I can immediately think of! That was another world! (as you can imagine)

26 Silver Birch - Vapours, 2023

AARON
OLDENBURG
Aaron Oldenburg is a Baltimore-based game, interactive and video artist. His work has
exhibited in festivals and galleries in New York, Johannesburg, London, Buenos Aires, São
Paulo and Los Angeles, including SIGGRAPH, A MAZE. International Games and Playful
Media Festival, the LeftField Collection at EGX Rezzed, Slamdance DIG, Game On! - El
arte en el juego, and FILE Electronic Language International Festival. His games have been
written about in Kill Screen, Baltimore City Paper, and Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
He teaches game design as a Professor in The University of Baltimore's Simulation and
Game Design program and has an MFA from the University of Maryland, Baltimore
County. His writing on games has been published in Game Studies, Journal of Gaming and
Virtual Worlds, and the proceedings of the International Symposium on Electronic Art
(ISEA). In October 2003 he finished two years as an HIV Health Extension Agent for the
Peace Corps in Mali.

‘’My work comes from a mix of autobiographical experience and theoretical experimentation.
Exploring technical constraints and limitations helps me give shape to concepts and subjects that are
not inherently technical. I am interested in game artificial intelligence serving as environmental
memory, and potential metaphorical, systemic applications of tools such as asynchronous,
abstracted presence, connection, and communication via a server. Simulations of instability, the
overwhelming power of nature, post-human worlds, and dissociation are also themes I lean toward.
My mediums tend to be video games, interactive and non-interactive procedural software, and
video, with the latter often using the former as material. I create work using game engines, various
coding languages, 2D and 3D digital art creation software, and audio sampling. Occasionally, my
work has involved physical computing and other experimental interfaces, as well as more traditional
art forms.
Exploring technical constraints and limitations helps me give shape to concepts and subjects that are
not inherently technical. Recently, I have created procedural software work where, although I might
have started with some interaction or game mechanics, I eventually reduced interaction to almost
nothing. These works generally have some form of generative landscape and occasionally also
artificially- intelligent non-playable characters whose behaviors one can observe. Here, the focus is
less on a material or physical conversation between the artist and player, and, as in other non-
interactive art forms, more of a cognitive dialogue. The output is still generative and real-time, so
what the audience is seeing is unique to that moment in time and partly the result of hidden,
currently-running processes and systems. I am hesitant to talk about intent or the emotions I would
like people to have with my work, but I am constantly aware, particularly when editing, of the
emotional spaces I want my work to point toward. Reviewers have described pieces as "pleasantly
dizzying, like a fever dream," and wondered if their experience of my work was "similar to the
feelings supposedly experienced during an alien abduction."

27
A Stabilizing Loop, 2023

Screenshot of original computer software, variable dimensions

A Stabilizing Loop, 2023

Screenshot of original computer software, variable dimensions

Screenshot of original VR software for Meta Quest (device-specific dimensions)
Returning... as..., 2023

Returning... as..., 2023

Screenshot of original VR software for Meta Quest (device-specific dimensions)
How does your background in a variety of socially-oriented volunteer work and your
experience as an HIV Health Extension Agent for the Peace Corps in Mali inform your
approach to game design and interactive art?
Much of my work, especially my games informed by the documentary process, has involved
traveling and connecting with people. In 2013, I stayed with a brujo in a Peruvian town that was
founded by witches during the Inquisition and created a project based on interviews I conducted
there and audiovisual material I collected. In 2010, I traveled to Guyana to talk to local people
who had been connected to the People’s Temple in Jonestown, creating a video-based loosely
around the second lives of objects that had been removed from the site after the massacre. My
previous work as a crisis counselor informs my approach to game design, as both are less about
telling someone what to do or think and more about giving them a space to probe different
possibilities.
Your work has been exhibited in various international festivals and galleries. How do
different cultural contexts influence the reception and interpretation of your projects?
Although my work has been shown in exhibitions in several countries, it is often within a
contemporary/new media art bubble, so there might not be that much diversity in response... also,
I rarely get to be there in person to observe the response unless it’s a conference. What I do
notice in local exhibitions, especially on “art walk” nights, is that the interactive elements of some
of my work appeal to a broad range of people. When I show the multiplayer virtual reality game
Desert Mothers, children will often have to be dragged away from it by their parents, but they
might still say “I have no idea what I was doing or what was going on!”
In your creative process, you mention that your work comes from a mix of
autobiographical experience and theoretical experimentation. Can you share an example
of a project where these elements were particularly pronounced?
The Mischief of Created Things is an interactive project I created based on the two years I spent
in Mali. It’s told through my perspective, though I try to give the players gaps they can fill in
themselves. Often these are created simply by the sequence of events the player chooses.
As a Professor in The University of Baltimore's Simulation and Game Design program, how
do you balance teaching game design with your personal artistic practice?
I draw examples and assignments from my own artistic research and experience, both theoretical
and technical. My experiments would often make their way into classes such as Frontiers of
Game Design, which has had rotating topics such as audio-only games and others that use
unusual interfaces such as computer vision and other sensors. Although most of the classes I
teach are geared toward the game development industry, I will often bring in relevant examples
from contemporary art, while also meeting students where they’re at. Through experience, I’ve
gotten better at balancing this.
Your interest in game artificial intelligence serving as environmental memory is intriguing.
Can you elaborate on how you see this concept playing out in your work?
In Desert Mothers, an AI entity observes the player's behavior, such as the manner in which they
draw, or how they make their avatar breathe, and has its own emotional response, which I
represent through changes in weather and/or time. I want the environment to feel alive, and
responsive. It’s sort of a pantheistic/panentheistic approach to the game world. My current work
attempts to continue with this, but with the distance of the environmental memory and intelligence
happening in a distributed way over a server.

30
Islid, 2016

Screenshot of original computer software, variable dimensions

Islid, 2016

Screenshot of original computer software, variable dimensions

The themes you mention—simulations of instability, the overwhelming power of nature,
post-human worlds, and dissociation—are quite diverse. How do you navigate and weave
these themes together in your artistic narrative?
They all come from a similar place, even if they produce different results. All of them can be seen
as a form of rupture with our assumed control over our world and reality. There’s a spiritual
element of letting go or riding the discomfort.
You utilize mediums such as video games, interactive and non-interactive procedural
software, and video. How do you decide which medium best serves a particular concept?
When I was creating games via documentary process, I would gather the evidence, and then try
to discover the essence of that experience. In 2013, I attempted to conduct interviews with
members of the Guyanese bird racing community in New York. Subsequently, when trying to
make a game from the experience, I realized that a potential mechanic that kept nagging me was
one where the player judges a bird race. I had no idea whether it would work or be interesting,
which is why it kept gnawing at me and also why I tried to ignore it and initially attempted to make
something with a more conventional narrative presentation.
Could you delve into the role of technical constraints and limitations in shaping your
concepts and subjects? How do these constraints contribute to the uniqueness of your
work?
My recent project, Returning… as…, ended up with the entirety of its space being a pitch-black
silhouette against a lighter background due to technical constraints. I recently moved from the
Unity game engine, which I’d used for the past 10+ years, to open-source Godot which, at the
time, wasn’t super optimized for the mobile VR space. So I did away with lighting (which is
expensive to calculate), giving the space the emotional value of all objects mysteriously
combining in a darkness that is both threatening and soothing, a place from which one could
imagine an unknown future birthed.
Your recent focus on procedural software work reducing interaction to almost nothing is
intriguing. How does this shift in approach impact the audience and the overall narrative?
This pertains to a series of works that I was calling Night Walks, which all have an underlying
element of climate grief and finding new ways of engaging with our ecosystem within the
darkness. I began all of these projects with a certain level of player interaction, but over the years,
as I revised each work, I ended up removing interactions that felt distracting. Half-seriously, I
noticed a parallel between these works and our sense of agency with the emerging climate
catastrophe: in the latter, we started out (decades ago) with a high level of agency in addressing
it, and as we get closer to knowing how it plays out in the coming years, we will have
progressively less interactive agency in mitigating it.
Reviewers have described your work as "pleasantly dizzying, like a fever dream" and
compared the experience to "feelings supposedly experienced during an alien abduction."
How do you navigate the interpretation and emotional impact of your work when it elicits
such diverse reactions?
Sometimes these responses are like a separate artwork unto themselves that have spun off of
what I make. This is true, particularly in the latter quote, which was responding to a game where
the player is exploring a hypnagogic state. The reviewer drew out the potential horror aspects of
the work that I had not thought about and gave it a different emotional context with their imagined
comparison.

32
Unfreeze the remaining forms, 2023

Screenshot of original computer software, variable dimensions

A Mass of Radiant Flies and a Body, 2023

Screenshot of original computer software, variable dimensions

 ADAM STRANGE

Art is the corporeal representation of the deeply unsettling knot of humanity, which the artist
tries to untie.

Adam Strange is a Canadian pixel-based artist plumbing the depths of the human
condition, exploring the dark recesses of human behavior and the effects of societal
entropy. Adam (b. 1970) started his art career during the mid-eighties, exhibiting locally in
Southwestern Ontario, such as in the 1987 London Ontario exhibition "Homage to Marcel
Duchamp on the occasion of the centennial of his birth" at the McIntosh Gallery. Adam
graduated from the Ontario College of Art (OCA) in 1992 with a focus on magic-realism
and old master technique under the direction and guidance of professor Carmen
Cereceda, a Chilean muralist who was once an assistant of Diego Rivera. Adam was also
mentored by his father, an artist and contemporary of Tony Tascona and Takao Tanabe
from the Winnipeg School of Art. Adam pursued fine art until around 1996 when he was
in demand for his graphic design services full-time. In 2018 Adam refocused his life back
to fine art and has since seen his tools change from traditional materials into the digital
realm, but the vision has remained the same... challenging viewers to question the world
around them and to live in a world of their own making.
Adam is a member of the National Association of Digital Artists (naDA) and the Canadian
Artists’ Representation/Le Front des Artistes Canadiens (CARFAC).

Aldous Huxley, the British writer, once wrote, “There are things known, and there are
things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” Adam Strange creates his
art in that space between the known and unknown. These visual artifacts are made in the
“Age of Anxiety” where truth and lies are indistinguishable, issues and attitudes are binary,
and the perils of conflict and intimacy result in the separation of the self from the physical.
The images reflect our anxious world through a process of digital painting, photomontage,
or “image dubbing.” These visual narratives are sojourns where time and memory, feelings
and perspectives, manifest as physical places or situations showing the “Essentia” - the
world as it really is. These are images of realism. By turns, demanding, fearful, and
disorienting. They are fit representations of the times we live in.

34
The Catacombs - Digital art, printed on archival photo paper, 45x35cm, 2019

35
The Weight - Digital art, printed on archival photo paper, 45x35cm, 2019

36
The Weight II - Digital art, printed on archival photo paper, 45x35cm, 2019

37
How has your artistic journey evolved from your early exhibitions in the mid-eighties, such
as the "Homage to Marcel Duchamp" exhibition in 1987, to your recent focus on a digital
art?
Well, I think any journey has its twists and turns, achievements and failures, but at that early age I
did have a sense of what the basic building blocks of being an artist meant, and that has stayed
with me throughout my life. In essence, that journey is an insatiable desire to express my view of
the world, a world of my own making, and over time the tools or technologies may change to help
me express those views.
Your art explores the dark recesses of human behavior and the effects of societal entropy.
Could you share some specific themes or aspects of the human condition that inspire or
challenge you in your artistic expression?
There are a few themes that I ponder, these include conflict and intimacy, anxiety and emotional
environments and time, memory, and the perception of reality. The world is constantly changing in
ways it appears no one can control. These changes are a result of humanity grappling with its
inability to transcend its primal biology. In general, I don’t attempt to illustrate these ideas, but
instead to evoke the emotional states these ideas contain. Therefore the images are rarely literal
and require juxtaposition and montage to facilitate the visual conditions to reach these states of
perception.
Having graduated from the Ontario College of Art in 1992 with a focus on magic-realism
and old master technique, how do these artistic traditions influence your contemporary
pixel-based art?
Today, I attempt to employ all aspects of knowledge and skills that I have. Specifically, I have
developed a process that utilizes the flexibility and efficiency of the digital medium through the
language of traditional picture-making. For example, I am very thoughtful about my composition
and design through the use of geometry, light, and shade to communicate meaning and evoke
feelings in my pictures.
You mention being mentored by your father, an artist and contemporary of Tony Tascona
and Takao Tanabe. How has this mentorship and artistic lineage shaped your approach to
art and creativity?
Well, my father transformed into a teacher, friend, critic, and supporter, and as such encouraged
me to explore, challenge, and question everything around me, not just in art but in life. Most
critically he demonstrated that we/you/I must “see” as an artist. For me, it is a duty and sometimes
a curse to see past the appearance of reality, to grasp the essence of experience to find truth.
After a period of working in graphic design, you refocused on fine art in 2018. How did this
shift impact your artistic perspective, and what led you back to the realm of fine art?
I learned a lot from graphic design. Nothing of real value as the only reason to do it is for the
money. So in some ways, I lost 30 years of my life trying to make a career in graphic design.
Unfortunately, I don’t think or “see” as a designer, as much as I wanted to put that square peg in
that round hole, it never quite fit. More recently, the consequence of the Covid pandemic was a re-
evaluation of one’s priorities and purposes. My fine artwork erupted like a volcano and its lava has
not stopped flowing since.
As a member of the National Association of Digital Artists (naDA) and CARFAC, how do
these affiliations contribute to your artistic practice and the broader digital art community?
Membership in any organization can provide a sense of community, belonging, and support. For

38
me, this never seems to be attainable as much as I try. But these organizations relate to the
industry you’re in. It's a dichotomy, on one hand, organizations can assist and support your art
career, one the other hand, artists are inherently unique and individualistic, as well as anti-social
in my case. Therefore these organizations provide a tether to the “surface world,” the world of
societies, careers, and industry constructs we live in. Ultimately it is a search for connection in a
disconnected world.
Can you elaborate on the transition from traditional materials to the digital realm in your
artistic process? How has this change influenced your creative tools and vision?
Being born before the personal computer existed makes me a digital native, meaning I was
trained in the final years of analogue processes and transitioned into the digital era. So traditional
materials and mediums revolve around intricate handwork or craft. The introduction of digital tools
to artists has had the same impact as the Industrial Revolution had on labour. It resulted in a
warping of time and a fragmentation of purpose. The result of centuries of craft was now achieved
in a fraction of the time with uniform consistency. But that is the danger, any advance in
technology can reduce labour input but also impose uniformity. So in choosing to use computers
as my medium, I am constrained by it, but also liberated by the efficiency in the ability to express
my vision. My challenge is to not let technology become the subject matter of the picture.
Your art challenges viewers to question the world around them and to live in a world of
their own making. What kind of responses or reactions do you hope to evoke from your
audience?
Ideally, the viewer experiences the same state of being, or deep understanding of the subject, as
the artist did when making the work. I think in general, my motivation has been to want viewers to
feel a sense of wonderment, or a psychedelic experience- an expansion of consciousness, to
make connections to something beyond the mundane world we generally experience.
Unfortunately, looking at art requires education and patience, two things undervalued in the world
today.
Are there specific artists, movements, or cultural influences that have played a significant
role in shaping your artistic identity and vision?
This is a big question. The answer is yes there are, but I’m not sure I could list them in a sentence
or two. I think artists create based on the sum of all parts of a person’s experience, not by choice
of popular trends or industry necessity. I see my work through the lens of our contemporary times-
atomized, digitized, corrupted and transfigured.
Looking ahead, what excites you about the intersection of technology and art, and are
there particular directions or themes you're eager to explore in your upcoming digital art
projects?
I think the negative effects of digital technology on people and societies are more important to
reflect upon rather than the possibilities of technology liberating us from some unidentified
burden. Unfortunately, the only consistent theme humanity has shown to me is death and
destruction. So if humanity can provide any hope, then my subject matter may change. Until then,
it's business as usual.

39
Hostage - Digital art, printed on archival photo paper, 20x25cm, 2022

Entombment - Digital art, printed on archival photo paper, 28x46cm, 2023

 Suffocating Values
Digital art, printed on archival photo paper, 48x33cm, 2023

41
 BRONIA GARDNER

After facing recurring battles with cancer, Bronia has emerged as a digital artist, crafting
her work from the confines of her bed. Employing black and white photographs, she
endeavors to infuse narratives into everyday situations, skillfully employing a specific color
palette. She aims to interpret the intersection between individual memory and collective
experience. Delving into her memories, she has meticulously created a body of work titled
'Women Of A Certain Age.'

42 The Turns Too Loud You’ll Have To Speak Up - Manipulated photograph, 29.7x42cm, 2023
How has your experience with cancer influenced or inspired your journey as a digital
artist?
I was advised by my son to buy the largest iPad I could find. My diagnosis and following treatment
meant I was left with large periods. My iPad fitted into my handbag, did not leave a mess and
eventually led to my therapy. A happy accident it certainly turned out to be. I discovered my
escape. I could work from my bed, two images a day. The surprise however was the actual
subject. And themes that emerged. Cancer is a lonely illness that leaves one feeling extremely
vulnerable and devoid of confidence. I believe I subconsciously craved simpler times and found
them in images of ‘Women Of A Certain Age’ the forgotten matriarchs or Headscarved
Revolutionaries’
Can you elaborate on your process of using black and white photographs and a specific
colour palette to create a narrative in everyday situations?
Despite my work developing organically, I have always had a fascination with the quietness found
in black and white photographs, particularly images of northern working-class areas - a social
documentary genre.
Adding a specific colour palette places the photograph in a particular era. People usually take
photographs when there is something nice happening, but as we know life isn’t always like that.
Colour in my work reflects the period I depict - life in the 50s was drab, austerity had hit, the 60s
were more positive times, bold patterns emerged, olive greens, grape and plum, the seventies,
not so long ago, developed its identifiable style and pattern.
The granny or spinster aunt wearing regulation pearls, boys in grey shorts and wellingtons, girls
digging innocently on the beach are images we can all claim to have seen or indeed known
The photograph evokes a memory in people, often the photographs become the memory and are
painted in the colours synonymous with an era only further assisting in the image becoming that
misremembered reality.

In out of the cold. Bethnal Green 1967 The Conservative Ladies Section - Manchester 1973
Manipulated photograph, 42x29.7cm, 2023 Manipulated photograph, 42x29.7cm, 2023

43
The title "Women Of A Certain Age" suggests a thematic focus. Could you share more
about the inspiration behind this body of work?
The demise of the iconic rockstar Tina Turner brought back the reason for the title ‘Women of a
Certain Age’: the earworm of the opening lines of the song ‘I Don’t Want to Lose You’ plagued me
for weeks as I attempted to find an artistic voice for what I was creating. I wanted to give a voice
to these often unheard and forgotten people. People who were instantly recognizable: the lady
with the headscarf stealing five minutes rest in a market cafe, the lonely old man doing his
shopping for one. This work is not about nostalgia rather it is about the layered memories we all
have, the instantly recognisable things no longer seen.
In exploring the crossover between individual memory and collective experience, what
themes or stories do you aim to convey through your art?
Photographs can be used as a validation of identity and existence in addition to being a surrogate
for expression. They can however be used to develop narratives. I feel very strongly about social
injustices and, poverty, something very real in the northeast of England. I see my work as a form
of ‘soft protest ‘ highlighting individual experiences. Painted images portraying the collective
experiences of people from the recent past, Saturday nights at the club, and glamour found in
dingy venues, exemplify collective experiences now mostly only memories.

44 The New Vicar - Manipulated photograph, 42x29.7cm, 2023

This is My Home 1987 - Manipulated photograph, 42x29.7cm, 2023

45
How do you see the intersection of personal memories and broader societal experiences
reflected in your artistic expression?
Personal memories are an intrinsic part of my work. Family photographs and albums were my
initial resource. The settings in these images reflected the experiences of the individuals in
addition to societal experiences. Family seaside trips, finding shopping, going to cafes, etc...
What role does the chosen color palette play in conveying the emotions or narratives in
your artwork?
This is essential in my work. In understanding my work it has to convey the ‘feeling’ of a time.
Color is used to bring honesty to my work. Greys, blues, browns, and greens intimate the
emotions of an age.

This is My Home 1967 - Manipulated photograph, 42x29.7cm, 2023

46
As a digital artist, how has the medium allowed you to express your creative vision,
especially considering your unique journey?
From a practical point of view digital art has allowed me to work anywhere without impinging on
anyone else, from my bed, in the car, the hospital waiting room. Accessibility of content has
enabled me, sometimes subconsciously, to find subjects relative to my emotions.it’s a positive to
have my work to hand constantly. With hindsight, it reveals a visual roadmap of my cancer
journey. It’s such a positive medium.
Can you share some insights into the storytelling aspect of your work? How do you
approach creating narratives within your art?
Before becoming an artist I had always thought of myself as a writer. Creating stories and using
my imagination come easily to me. This then has been transferred to my artwork. Focusing on
individuals in black and white photographs enables me to develop their narratives as I work.
Questions are asked of these people, what is their story, why are they in certain situations, etc?
The overall aim is to let the image tell its own story. A menu is created for each picture including
setting, color palette, and activity.
Are there specific challenges or triumphs you've encountered during your transition into
digital art, especially considering your health journey?
Throughout my illness, I have primarily struggled with my inner critic as an artist. Digital painting is
seen by some as not a true art form however I now understand that my work is of worth and
viewers can be allowed to like it. The personal benefits of producing my work have been
enormous. I believe that my cancer journey was less onerous because I had somewhere to
escape when my illness allowed. I have a visual roadmap of my journey through cancer
treatment.
What aspirations do you have for your
art, particularly in terms of the impact
or resonance you hope it has with your
audience?
I’m ambitious to have my work displayed in
galleries be they physical entities or
electronic creations. I believe I have a
product that is available/affordable to all
via smartphones and in physical
presentations. Emotionally I want to
encourage viewers to linger just a moment
longer to experience memories of their
own that perhaps may have been
forgotten.

The Beautiful Williams Girls 1974

Manipulated photograph,
42x29.7cm, 2023

47
notes:
Digital Art | Special Edition | VOL 39 | January 2024 | Tbilisi, Georgia