What was it about technology that interested you so much?

I became fascinated by what makes machines tick. Most of the time you don’t get to see inside computers or everyday appliances. Seeing the guts of this technology is fascinating and liberating in a way, because so often we’re told to be careful with technology in case we break it. Deliberately taking things apart to understand them better and hack appliances to do things that they’re not intended for can lead to incredible places.

Making mistakes is a big motivator for me. When all you need to do is push a button and something works, you don’t really question it, but if you make changes and things go wrong, it illuminates so much, helping you to understand the process. A lot of the work that I create as part of my practice now relates to glitches in machines and technology, scrutinising the things in society that we take for granted.

How did it feel, knowing that such experimental practice was opening doors for you internationally?

Performing in China was such an incredible experience. Xiamen was not a tourist city, so people on the streets there took a real interest in engaging with my work. No holiday would have taken me somewhere like that, it was an excellent example of my creative practice opening doors that wouldn’t have existed otherwise. After successfully receiving funding to take my work overseas, and seeing all the opportunities for residencies internationally, that’s something that I’ve continued doing ever since. My work has taken me all over the world.

I returned to Amsterdam to do an MFA Fine Art, developing an interest in 3D technologies, particularly looking at how to combine two images from stereoscopic cameras to create 3D cinema and the overall technological development leading to 3D. From there I continued exhibiting or doing residences in different places, including an amazing project in India filming manufacturing techniques in quarries with stereoscopic cameras to try to get a real sense of the depth and place. Visiting so many locations, it felt important to begin responding to what was unique about the different places.

In addition to your own art, you’re also known as a curator. How did that come about?

After Amsterdam I lived in London for a time, where I met and worked with a lot of other artists. The collaborations eventually led me to set up the online platform Digital Artist Residency, which I’ve been running for the past 6 years. It’s a residency platform for digital artists to show their work online, in a way that makes sense to their practice, rather than needing to translate their work for a physical space. I’ve learned a lot as a curator through running the residency and receiving new applications from artists every month.

Your work at Illuminate 2021 coincides with you joining us at Plymouth College of Art. What does your role here entail?

I’m currently working as a Lecturer in BA (Hons) Fine Art at Plymouth College of Art and it’s exciting to share some of these experiences and perspectives with students. But one of the other things that I’m most excited about is the launch in September 2022 of our new BA (Hons) Creative Technologies course, which unites so many of my passions and professional interests.

When I recount my career to date, it covers a lot of ground. I really hope that people will hear about my experiences and get a good feel for some of the doors that studying BA (Hons) Creative Technologies can open. Because for me, those skills have taken me all over the world. I’ve received funding to exhibit and attend residencies on almost every continent. I’ve spoken at prestigious international conferences, curated work by artists who I respect and admire from all over the world, all the time opening doors that have allowed me to follow my passions.

Does this mean there are a lot of rewarding opportunities in store for Creative Technologies students?

The possibilities are endless. Graduates could go on to become artists working kinetically, with video or sound, installation-based practice, or to go into robotics or computing, or even motion capture. These aren’t niche areas, these are professional skills that are going to be in high demand.

Sometimes creative technologies can sound abstract, but let me put it this way. The trillion-dollar social networking parent company behind Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Oculus recently rebranded itself as Meta at an augmented reality and virtual reality-focussed event. This announcement of intent to create a ‘metaverse’ came alongside a commitment to invest $50-million in research for related development and plans to hire 10,000 employees in the EU to build out their metaverse platform.

Facebook isn’t the only company investing heavily in this space. Recent research indicated that tech companies related to the metaverse, covering areas including gaming, online games, virtual worlds, and augmented reality, have raised nearly $10.4 billion in 2021, to invest in those areas, with more funding sure to follow.

There are potentially lucrative career opportunities ahead for people with the right skills and creativity to work in those spaces. But just as importantly, we want to make sure that BA (Hons) Creative Technologies graduates are critical of the commercial element of these announcements. Do we want to see a future where our digital worlds are completely dominated by Facebook? Do we trust them with our digital futures? I believe strongly that the more independent creative minds who engage with those spaces the better, not just to work with those market leaders but also to challenge them and offer thoughtful alternatives. This is our chance to build a better future.