Behind the artist: Laura Alice

Can you tell what kind of art you make and how it works?

I make interactive visuals that play between art, tech, science and mysticism. I like using energy such as human movement, plant bio-frequencies and cosmic data to create artworks that seem to be living entities: living, dancing, responding.

What is your origin story and how has it shaped you as an artist?

I grew up on a little farm in a small country town on the hills along the wild Australian coast.

I left for Melbourne to study Fine Art, and then spent many years as a painter and street artist, and worked extensively with youth from disadvantaged communities.

It was whilst working on an art project with some amazing Karenni refugee women when we started to experiment together with animating their artworks using augmented reality.

During that time, something in my brain 'clicked' - and over time I became obsessed: I couldn't stop researching new methods to make art and light move in ways that felt beautiful to me.

How does your culture and environment influence your art and what are other inspirations?

As a child, I was a maladaptive daydreamer - often I felt like my best friends were actually the trees I spent hours daydreaming in every day.

For this reason, I’m really interested in human relationships with trees and other living things, and I’m inspired by my Irish diaspora roots, especially the old mythologies and folklore around sacred trees, changelings, druids and such.

I also love sci-fi, and science in general- some of my favourite people are scientists working in interesting fields.

And lastly, I’m inspired by my community - I am lucky to be surrounded by incredibly authentic people - artists, poets, scientists, hackers, musicians, permaculturalists, singers and activists.

Why is art and creation important to you and how does it help you find connection in an often disconnected and chaotic world?

Art to me is essential, I become depressed if I cant access it.

This has caused me a lot of issues, until I was late-diagnosed as Autistic and ADHD. It was only then that I realised that this kind of sensory and intellectual joy was a core part of my neurotype.

Ultimately this journey towards authenticity has brought me so much genuine connection, friendship and community.

What would you like to achieve personally and professionally through your artist journey?

Personally, my main goal creatively is to keep learning until I die. Humility, curiosity and learning are key.

This year my goals are to create hold immersive audiovisual experiences that feel transformative. I want to work with ground-breaking composers, dj’s, orchestras and dancers.

I also want to collaborate with scientists to transform living data into artworks made from moving light.

And finally, I would eventually like to do a PhD that encapsulates some of my research on poetic data integration in the arts.

If you had zero limitations, what would you do this coming year? (think as big as you can)

With zero limitations, I would send an artwork to space - working with a space agency to create a living artwork system that live-reacts to real-time earth space data.

Either that I would create artwork for Bjork. Or maybe in The Sphere!

Artist: Laura Alice

'Cutting-edge Projects with Soul'

B.C.A. The University of Melbourne

Artist / Creative Director

www.lauraalice.com.au

IG: @lauraaliceartist

I work, create and play on the unceded land of the Wadawurrung nation.