The Virtual Landscape
The Virtual Landscape exhibition at MAP mima enables you to explore digital artworks that are tethered to five locations around the building.
Using a smart phone, visitors can scan the QR codes they find on bollards nd plaques around the building, and then follow the prompts to see the artwork.
The Virtual Landscape of MAP mima was created through workshops with VEARA and features artworks by several local artists.
Lake Foreshore
Awa by Saretta Fielding (Wonnarua) with Soundscape by Rod Smith, (Aniwan/Wonnarua) and augmented reality support by John Hancock
Awa, an Aboriginal word meaning flat surface or plain, draws its inspiration from the stories and knowledge held and shared by the Awabakal people, the traditional custodians of this country. Saretta Fielding’s gorgeous visuals celebrate the colour and beauty of life on the lake. Watch as canoes head out into Cockle Creek for the annual mullet run, gathering together around the campfire to enjoy a great harvest. Footsteps enter from all directions towards a campfire, celebrating the coming together of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to Lake Macquarie from around Australia.
The Multi-Arts Pavilion’s Awabakal name, mima, means ‘cause to stay’. Awa reminds us how long people have lived on these shores, and of our own duty to love and care for country.
North Wall
Awaba _ Salt Water Lake by Claire Lavis and Kira Jovanovski
The North Wall augmented reality artwork is a rippling surface where the blockwork patterning of the wall is expressed by protruding the dot elements of the Morse code. On the right the Acknowledgement of Country text is expressed with a steady and directional rhythm, and on the left the transcript is articulated in a deliberately gradual ruffle and reveal.
Among the casuarina trees on Cockle Creek
Gemstone Fungi by Mel Jhey
Inspired by a fungi species Ruby Bonnet (Cruentomycena viscidocruenta) that grows on the MAP mima site, Mel Jhey has designed various shaped fungi that represent ruby, opal, emerald, sapphire and amethyst gemstones.
The Promenade
A mural by Goya Torres appears in augmented reality along the Speers Point Park Promenade in front of MAP mima.
Torres is a visual/street-artist based in Lake Macquarie. Her practice moves towards blurring the separation line between fine arts, street-art and illustration in order to develop a new visual contemporary language. She has been involved in street-art festivals, mural and public art projects in Australia and internationally in USA, Mexico, Europe and the UK.
Create your own augmented reality artwork
Members of the public are invited to drop by on Fridays to experiment and create with Sculpt VR. Each month a new onsite creation will join the outdoor augmented reality exhibition.
Please note that Virtual Reality can cause motion sickness and is not recommended for children under 12.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body and is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.
Image above: Mel Jhey, Gemstone Fungi 2022