Labyrinth of the World

Background The research explores the application of cultural practices and the speculative traditions of occult philosophy through the use of emergent technology. It draws upon the dystopian writings of Comenius (1669) with the notion of artworks as a vessel for an embodied passage. The research led to the production of textile-based performances referencing the performative works of Nick Cave who combines a variety of textile traditions from Haitian voodoo flags to ritual costume. Contribution This was a solo exhibition of 5 works. A distinctive feature was the use of hand-sewn embroidery and e-textiles. The collection explored the affordance of the sequins’ pattern as a ‘marker cryptogram’ for an augmented reality (AR) repository for ephemeral performance works. It contributes an innovative use of textiles as a system for sharing ‘concealed data,’ and points to the daily use of computational media devices. Significance The work was shown at Bett Gallery, a contemporary gallery representing many high-profile artists. It led to positive reviews in Art Collector magazine, cited as ‘a stand out…e-textiles that allow the transmission of information…exploring the complexities and contractions of existence…a strong entrance into the commercial art market.’