Angela Crawford
Newstead composer Anthony Lyons is working on a large-scale sound and light installation that aims to translate the energy from plants and people into images and sounds.
Lyons is collaborating with Lockwood video artist Paul Fletcher on The AudioVisual Garden project, which will be unveiled to the public at the Conflux festival of creative ideas in Bendigo next month.
Taking over the upstairs foyer of the Capital Theatre, visitors will enter a garden of plants and play with pre-made sound and video animation projections.
“The AudioVisual Garden aims to get us thinking and experiencing shared connections between people, plants and nature, and to do it in a fun, accessible and immersive way,” Lyons told the Express.
“We want people to be immersed in beautiful sound and light and we’re trying to raise awareness that we are connected to and influenced by other living things on this planet.
“It’s a big space with high ceilings and a big mirror, which we hope will amplify the plants we put in front of it.”
Lyons said the two artists were on a quest to discover hidden forms of communication or fields of influence between plants and people.
“We’re both inspired by patterns and processes in nature and we try to uncover the beauty we see in nature and express it creatively through what we do,” he said.
“There’s a collection of 50 indoor plants and these are wired up via sensors and signal translators to trigger, generate and manipulate sound and visuals.
“And this interacts with pre-made sounds, visuals and parameters that are set up by myself, as composer, and Paul as video artist.
“The result is an installation that is continually influenced by plants and their bio signals, generating beautiful evolving patterns and shapes of light and sound.”
Lyons is among a host of local artists taking part in Conflux Bendigo next month.
Early bird tickets are available now at emporiumcreativehub.com.au/conflux
