Antarctic inspired architecture

Former Australian Antarctic Arts Fellow and sound artist, Philip Samartzis, and architect Roland Snooks, developed an Antarctic-inspired art installation for the National Gallery of Victoria’s Triennial Extra Festival in January.

The installation, titled FLOE, included sounds Philip recorded in Antarctica of “constantly shifting ice shelves, glaciers, icebergs and sea ice”. These sounds inspired Roland, Director of the RMIT Architectural Robotics Lab, to design an ice tower made of 70 overlapping, translucent polymer panels, which were 3D printed by a robot (see image).

Gallery visitors were invited to step inside the installation for a visually and aurally immersive experience of Antarctica, which the artists hoped would challenge their perception of Antarctica as “an unchanging landscape, suspended in time and place”.

Philip’s sound and video recordings from Davis research station also featured in an exhibition of sound and vision called Super Field at the RMIT Design Hub in January and February. The exhibition explored social, economic and environmental concerns affecting isolated regions and communities.

Read more about Philip’s Antarctic work on the Arts Fellows web pages and his website Bogong Sound.

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