Creative arts doctoral candidate Mauricio Iregui has created an epic interactive installation for the Queensland Museum.
Omnipresence will take over the upper level of the museum from this week.
The installation is 25m long, 10m wide and 5m high – creating a jaw-dropping playground where people can immerse themselves inside a giant infinity mirror.
“The viewers and their interactions become the subject of the piece,” Mauricio said.
“By playing with perceptions of time, Omnipresence reflects an era where self-identity is blurred by our virtual reflections.”
The social media-friendly installation allows viewers to see themselves reflected back in various incarnations and ‘interact’ with reflections of previous visitors.
“I think people will enjoy playing with this installation and sharing their experience on platforms like TikTok and Instagram,” Mauricio said.
“I think social media is changing the way we experience and share visits to galleries and museums, and how we see art.”
Mauricio is completing a PhD in immersive sound installation at the Queensland Conservatorium, where he teaches creative music technology. He is also a member of the Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre.
As part of the installation, he created an interactive music system featuring original looped compositions and soundscapes, putting into practice many of the ideas he is exploring in his studies.
The artwork is a family affair – Mauricio collaborated on the installation with his brother Daniel Iregui, a Montreal-based new media artist.
The brothers showed an earlier version of the installation in X’ian, China in 2018, and it will have its Australian premiere at the Queensland Museum.
“It’s crazy – some people spend their whole career working towards having their work at a big institution like the Queensland Museum,” Mauricio said.
“This is like nothing that’s ever been seen at the museum before – it’s very interactive and contemporary.”
Mauricio said the installation also allowed viewers to engage and interact without touch – an important consideration amid COVID-19 restrictions.
Queensland Conservatorium senior lecturer Dr John Ferguson, one of Mauricio’s PhD supervisors, said the project was an impressive achievement.
“Mauricio is a great ambassador for the creative arts at Griffith University,” he said.
“This installation uses the same technology that’s available on your mobile phone, but it’s a totally different experience. Mauricio’s work explores that space where art and science meet.”
Dr Ferguson said the collaboration with the Queensland Museum would bring Mauricio’s work to a wider audience.
“This is fantastic for his career – it really gives his work a broad reach and helps establish him as a professional artist,” he said.
“It’s also really inspiring for our students, who are studying the creative application of music technology.
“We’re going to take a group of them through the installation with Mauricio and give them a behind the scenes look at how he developed the installation.”
Omnipresence opens at the Queensland Museum on Monday 10 August and runs until 5 October. Entry to Queensland Museum is free, but due to social distancing restrictions, visitors must book a free timed ticket.