Bioluminescence

By our Visual Arts teacher Ms Jemima Saunders

Bioluminescence at Darwin High School involved 8 Film and Visual Art students from Year 10, 11 and 12 build a site specific audio-visual installation in four days! Lead by NSW Multimedia Artist Scott Baker and Jemima Saunders the project saw the students create content, learn new editing and projection mapping software and gain experience with sound sampling and music production.

Students helped set up the scaffold and the projectors in "The Tank". The Tank gave us massive textured concrete walls to use as our canvas. The creativity of the crew shone as they drew fantastic shapes across the wall to show their video content.

The tech was set up including a full PA with iPads running Samplr and a table of video tech to paint the walls with light and fill the massive tank with sounds. Sound and light filled the space and the crew turned on an amazing show that included opportunities for the audience to interact with the video microscope and add to the soundscapes by playing with the iPads. The crowds rolled in and students lead friends, family, staff members, and community members through the projection mapping and sound production processes. The tank transformed into a unique atmosphere, many laying down on the grass and becoming immersed in the space. 

The creativity, imagination and motivation of the Darwin High School students was impressive! Even the long days and long nights didn't dampen their enthusiasm and there were smiles all around at the end of the night after the pack up! This project has allowed our students to access techniques and processes that we previously had not access to and was made possible through an Artist in Schools grant, generous support from Creative Accomplice, Qubit Gallery and MAGNT.