Technology expands the possibilities for communicating through art practice, allowing us to render complex emotions in new ways.

Virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, projection mapping and interactivity seem to be new ways of encountering each other through art practice.
How do such technologies influence the way we see and what does this offer for contemporary art making? Can viewers become participants with ex-military tech?
Hear artists and technologists Yandell Walton, Robert Walton and Eric Jong discuss these possibilities through their art making. 

Compèred by Jacqueline Felstead. Registrations required via the link below. 

This event is supported by Yarra City Arts. 

Eric Jong is a Melbourne based artist who recently completed a Master Fine Art at VCA. His recent work Death and Paperwork draws upon his work with Bereavement Assistance, a funeral parlour providing destitute funeral services and was included in Hope Dies Last: Art at the end of Optimism at Gertrude Contemporary for Melbourne International Festival.   Previously working as a Photojournalist, Eric used documentary and humanitarian photography to inform and advocate through compassionate observation and involved access.  After completing a BA (Photography) at PSC, Eric worked in Australia, Nepal and Taiwan with various government, councils, NGOs and INGO's. Finding the compassion fatigue a limitation at the edge of photojournalism, he moved into creating long-form investigative driven art practice. His current work expands this practice with through application of novel visual technologies.

Robert Walton (Aus/UK) is a conceptual, media and performance artist whose work includes theatre, choreography, installation, writing and interactive art. He trained in theatre at Dartington College of Arts (England) and as a technologist in The University of Glasgow’s Master of Science in Information Technology programme. He moved to Australia in 2011 to join the Theatre Department at the Victorian College of Arts, University of Melbourne. Robert curated the Australian dance and performance works for Culture 2014, The XX Commonwealth Games (Glasgow). He created Vanitas, nominated for best Art and Experimental Mobile App at the 2018 Webby Awards and two 2019 Greenroom Awards. In 2018 Robert was the Australia Council Artist in Residence at Blast Theory (UK). In 2019 he was commissioned by the City of Chicago to create Exhuming Johnny for the Year of Chicago Theatre. In 2020 he is Resident Artist at the School of Computing and Information Systems, University of Melbourne. www.robertwalton.net

Yandell Walton’s practice addresses human relationships with the physical systems of the planet by interrogating shifting environments caused by climate change.  By using digital technology in the production and presentation of works, she aims to highlight the current technological climate and raise questions around its effect on our rapidly changing world.  Through creating immersive works that connect to the viewer, her installations aim to engage and inspire action from individuals towards a collective consciousness within an ever-changing and increasingly damaged planet.

Recent public art commissions include; ‘Digital Agora’ Nillimbik Shire Council (2019), ‘Departed’ in regional New South Wales (2016), ‘Absent Presence’ in Townsville (2014) ‘Transition’ in Melbourne (2014). Her work has been part of ART+CLIMATE=CHANGE Festival 2017 (Melbourne), Light City Baltimore (2016), Digital Graffiti Florida (2015), Experimenta Speak to Me (Melbourne & Brisbane 2012-14), PUBLIC Festival Perth (2014), Melbourne Festival (2012), VIVID Festival Sydney (2013), ISEA (International Symposium of Electronic Art 2013) and White Night Festival Melbourne (2013/15).