Flux- Zero by snapjersey

Â£10.00

Flux Zero

Edition #1

Sept 2017

FLUX ZER0 MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS - Snap.je DESIGN - Sam Bullock COPYWRITING - Adam Bouteloup ILLUSTRATION - Will Bertram / Charlie Burgis PHOTOGRAPHY - Peter Taylor-fitch

C0NTACT w w w . f l ux.je

zero@fl ux.je

Copyright ÂŠ 2017 by FLUX All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any forms or by any means including photocopying, recording, or other electronic methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. Disclaimer While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, no responsibility can be accepted for inaccuracies, however caused. No liability can be accepted for copy, illustrations, photographs, artwork or advertising material while in transmission or with the publisher or their agents. All information is correct at time of going to print.

C0NTENTS 4-5

WELCOME TO FLUX ZER0

DR SOIR’S COSMIC COCKTAIL

8-9

CONSTANT FLUX

12-13

ABI OVERLAND

14-15

BEN ROBERTSON

16-17

KUMO

20-21

SAM CARNEY

22-23

CAN VR ENHANCE CO N T E NOUR T S LIVES?

24-25

DANNY ROMERIL

YOUR HOST: ZER0

EXPLORE THE ICE GIANTS

28-29

KERRY-JANE WARNER

GROW YOUR OWN MONSTER

32-33

WILL ROMERIL

34-35

OLI NIGHTIGALE

36-37

WILL BERTRAM

VR- IT’S A TRIP!

JOIN THE FLUX FOLD

40-41

BUY THE ART

42-43

CREATORS/CONTRIBUTORS/SPONSORS

[WB]

[CB] [WB]

WELCOME TO

F L U X Z E R 0 A N O U T - O F - T H I S - WO R L D A R T E X H I B I T I O N UNLIKE ANYTHING JERSEY HAS SEEN BEFORE! FLUX ZERO showcases the artwork of

and tools to begin experimenting

10 local artists who have stepped out

with art in VR for the very first time.

of their comfort zones to explore the

FLUX ZERO is a unique, mixed reality

limitless possibilities of creating art in

experience that invites you to view

virtual reality (VR). In preparation for

art in new and exciting ways. Immerse

FLUX ZERO, our exhibitors attended

yourself in worlds created by some of

several workshops with VR experts

Jersey’s best artistic talents, where

that provided them with the knowledge

the only limit is the artist’s imagination.

STEP INTO THE COSMOS…

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Words by: Adam Bouteloup

C O N S T A N T

- A R T HUMANS WILL NEVER BE CONTENT WITH REMAINING STATIC.

V R -

Far from its gimmicky 80s and 90s incarnations, VR tech has been quietly refined in the background over the years, to the point where modern VR is now being taken seriously as both a

There will always be those with the desire to experiment. Pioneers who lead us in bold new directions. As our oldest traditions, the state of constant flux is especially visible in art and technology. From paint splats to pixels, clay modelling to 3D printing. Throughout history, advancements in technology have contributed to the development of art, opening doors to new forms of expression for artists to explore and make their own.

game changer and a disruptor across the art world and many of our core industries. Led by forward-thinking creatives and technological innovators, in recent years VR has flourished as a fullyimmersive experimental canvas for artists. And it is now transforming the way we approach, create and view art. With this exciting new medium, artists can not only apply traditional art

methods in three-dimensions, they can

compassion, happiness or sadness.

create artwork that exists all around us, transport us to another time and place,

In terms of VR in relation to art, this

or even another world!

where the line between the real world and the virtual world is blurred. By letting the audience become part of

“ I n r e ce n t ye a r s V R h as f l ou r i s h e d as a f u l l y i mmer s i v e e x p er i me n t al c a n v as f o r a r t i s t s ”

the art, their perception of is changed, allowing the artist to connect with the audience’s hearts and minds on an entirely different level.

VR technology has become so advanced that it can now simulate ‘presence’,

Art has always thrived off

essentially tricking our brains into total experimentation and while traditional immersion and giving us the feeling

art will always be treasured, and will

that we really have stepped into another

never cease to exist, vr represents a

world. It can make us experience

new and exciting artistic revolution that

acrophobia or conjure feelings of fear,

we’re only just beginning to explore.

VIRTUAL REALITY J E R S E Y

Entertainment | Education Architecture | Real Estate Healthcare | VR & AR Consultancy | Marketing World Builders

SNAP

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE REALITY W W W. V I R T U A L R E A L I T Y. J E

07797 742905

ARTIST PROFILE:

rawing heavy influence from her father’s collection of antiques and paintings from a young age,

Abi Overland has nurtured an art-deco style that is both a visually striking and instantly recognisable. Lending preference to organic and natural subjects, her intensely detailed pen

INTENSELY DETAILED PEN AND INK DRAWINGS BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE AESTHETICS OF NATURE AND SOMETHING MUCH MORE MYTHICAL

and ink drawings bridge the gap between Her FLUX ZERO exhibit, ‘YOU

the aesthetics of nature and something

ARE HERE’ borrows some of the

much more mythical.

distinct imagery from her previous works, such as the mystical jungle

Abi lives by the philosophy that her artistic talent comes from

backdrop, but her approach to

her brain and not her hands,

and execution of art in VR was

and she rose to the challenge

vastly different. In contrast to the

of this project despite

mostly-monochrome world of her

VR being a completely

drawings, the VR environment

unfamiliar territory.

she has built features a dayglo

Deciding that the only limit

palette that creates texture,

to what she could achieve

depth and mystique. Translating

in VR was her own knowledge

her art style to 3D, Abbie found

of her 3D painting tool of

it necessary to experiment with

choice, Tilt Brush, Abi became

colour and she believes this creative

captivated with experimenting in

choice allowed her to evoke the

VR and even suffered a bout of

same sense of wonder and escapism

motion sickness following a six-

as her real-world artwork.

hour deep session.

#AO00

YOU ARE HERE

ARTIST PROFILE:

s one of the driving forces behind

precision line work, colourful characters and

Jersey’s Inkramental graffiti crew,

abstract ornamentation. In recent years, he

the IKM, Ben Robertson AKA

has exhibited smaller scale work using spray

Bokra’s graffiti murals have been injecting

elements to embellish mixed-media pieces that

colour into streets, shops and homes of Jersey

combine pencil, brush strokes and even cut and

ever since he picked up a spray can. With

paste techniques.

his roots in graphic design, illustration and painting, Ben’s bold and diverse style employs

On approaching his FLUX ZERO project,

#BR00

MATERIAL UNDERWORLD

The spherical environment of ‘Material Underworld’ features a monstrous whale that can be explored – inside and out. Ben was most attracted to the limitless scale

and out. Using Quill, a simple 3D paintbrush,

that VR environments offer. Fully embracing

Ben manipulated the trigger-like VR controller

the unique benefits of working in three

like a spray can, creating the whale by layering

dimensions, he chose to use the ocean as his

thousands of brush strokes before blowing

canvas as it allowed him to create a world that

it up to an enormous size. While visually

exists all around the viewer. The spherical

very beautiful, Material Underworld also

environment of Material Underworld features a interweaves subtle environmental messages monstrous whale that can be explored – inside 15

that can can be discovered through exploration.

ARTIST PROFILE:

aving sketched most of his life,

acrylic brushwork with expressive spray paint

Sami Osman aka KUMO was

techniques, allowing them to appear both

inspired by London graffiti

intentional and haphazard.

artists while at university and has never looked back. Since picking up the spray can

KUMO’s FLUX ZERO exhibit,’Erykah

he has been heavily involved in the graffiti

Badu’ transports the viewer to a virtual city

scenes of London, Vietnam and Jersey, as

rooftop where he has channelled his musical

part of the Island’s IKM graffiti crew. With

influences to create a 30ft portrait of ‘the

his emphasis on the use of bright colour

queen of neo-soul’, Erykah Badu. Using

combinations and light and dark elements,

Kingspray Graffiti, KUMO’s transition into

KUMO’s graffiti murals and paintings are

the VR art world was somewhat seamless

directly influenced by the 80s and 90s hip-

thanks to the app’s realistic spray paint

hop cultures from which contemporary graffiti simulations. Taking advantage of the VR styles first emerged. Self-described as “fine

world’s huge graffiti walls and infinite spray

art in graffiti style”, his detailed portraits

paint, this is one of the largest pieces of

mainly focus on human subjects and combine

artwork he has ever created.

HIS DETAILED PORTRAITS MAINLY FOCUS ON HUMAN SUBJECTS AND COMBINE ACRYLIC BRUSHWORK WITH EXPRESSIVE SPRAY PAINT TECHNIQUES, ALLOWING THEM TO APPEAR BOTH INTENTIONAL AND HAPHAZARD.

#SE00

ERYKAH BADU

Digital Jersey are proud to be supporting FLUX, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first mixed reality art exhibition.

Digital Jersey Hub- the home of our tech community, where collaboration and networking gave birth to FLUX.

www.digital.je www.digitalhub.je

ARTIST PROFILE:

017 marks an exciting and interesting time for Sam Carney. Leaving behind any insecurities he had about his artwork,

he has undergone a huge artistic transformation, both stylistically and in his approach. His new abstract art style is a product of his creative process and a more honest reflection of his artistic intentions. Ignoring any specific point of reference, Sam instead focuses on tensions and harmonies between colours, forms, shades and textures to create vibrant abstractions. Each decision he makes informs the next, making every creative choice crucial to the story of a finished piece of art.

SAM INSTEAD FOCUSES ON TENSIONS AND HARMONIES BETWEEN COLOURS, FORMS, SHADES AND TEXTURES TO CREATE VIBRANT ABSTRACTIONS. #SC00

COMPOSITION-K Having no prior knowledge or expectation of VR, Sam’s only aim was to stay true to his abstract approach. Interestingly, Sam is one of the few FLUX ZERO exhibitors who abandoned an initial project to start over. He started off using 3D painting tool, Tilt Brush but found its design was at odds with his process, leading him down a referential path. Ditching Tilt Brush, Sam discovered his ideal abstract workspace in a more simplistic VR painting tool, Quill. As an artist who can deliberate a colour choice for hours, he enjoyed the immediacy and speed of working in VR as well as having the ability to tweak the parameters of colour to minute specifications. Like its real-world counterparts, Sam’s exhibit ‘Composition K’, tells the story of its creative process. However, unlike a painting, VR offers a chance to venture inside the art to see how it was created. While ‘Composition K’ can be viewed as a whole piece, its narrative and composition really comes together when fully explored. With the furthest strokes and marks made right at the beginning of project and those in the foreground at the end, Sam has created a chronological journey through the history of the artwork, providing fascinating insight into abstract art methods. 21

ARTIST PROFILE:

ondon-based artist, Danny Romeril is

the streets, building makeshift canvases out

under no illusions about the

of anything from wardrobe doors to pallet

childlike idiosyncrasies that resonate

boards stitched together with cable ties. Not

throughout his artwork. In fact, he embraces

being one to spend too long on his artwork,

them. Using his art to negotiate the world

he created over 200 individual pieces of art

around him, Danny creates challenging and

last year, with each piece only taking between

chaotic mixed media collages. Featuring

one and eight hours.

scribbles, blocks of colour and scatterings of misspelt text, his naïve art style reflects his

Danny was most excited about using the

honest, humorous and immediate approach.

VR environment to create something that

As reflections of his personal experiences,

he felt he could not create in the real world.

Danny’s art often includes recurring images

Specifically, life-size human sculptures.

of beer cans, self-portrait, teeth and the

Mimicking the aesthetic and themes of his

human body. With an art style born of

paintings, Danny’s FLUX ZERO experience,

necessity, when strapped for cash he creates

‘Disco Party 2017’ , gets meta by plunging

art on unconventional items scavenged from

you into his own ‘Bizarro World’ version

#DR00

DISC

O PA RTY 2017

of the exhibition. Using a combination of the VR applications including 3D paintbrush, Tilt Brush and 3D modelling tool, Medium, Danny has created a 3D model of the entire exhibition space to explore. Strewn with freakish humanoid figures and surrealist imagery and backed by a disorientating original soundscape created by Danny himself, ‘Disco Party 2017’ is as unsettling as it is alluring. 25

AS REFLECTIONS OF HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, DANNY’S ART OFTEN INCLUDES RECURRING IMAGES OF BEER CANS, SELF-PORTRAIT, TEETH AND THE HUMAN BODY.

#PT00

[ANIMATR0NIC FABRICATION 0F PETER TAYL0R-FITCH]

#WB02

he most experienced of our Flux Zero exhibitors, Kerry-Jane Warner left

behind the art world to raise a family only sporadically creating art works until 6 years ago when she built a studio and began taking part in community projects and producing prints, sculptures and ceramics more seriously

ARTIST PROFILE:

again. Now with more time to spend on her artwork, she is driven to recapture the mindset of her younger self and is currently spending time to focus on a more cohesive body of work. Taking inspiration from ‘outsider art’ artwork created through authentic creative impulses, she has refined her approach to work more intuitively.

THE WORLD OF CULTUM QUESTIONS MANKIND’S CHANGING RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE

For someone who describes herself as a ‘techno-dinosaur’, Kerry-Jane’s FLUX ZERO exhibit, Cultum, displays an impressive level of detail and her natural virtuosity across diverse mediums. Directed by her new artistic approach, she entered the VR world with no initial idea or plan, sculpting Cultum from the ground up using Tilt Brush

#KW00

and Medium. Taking visual cues from nature, human faces, tribal communities and the artwork of indigenous peoples, the world of Cultum questions mankindâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s changing relationship with nature, a powerful subject when considered alongside another key theme of FLUX ZERO: the disruptive nature of technologies.

CULTUM 29

#WB03

ARTIST PROFILE:

s a silversmith and jeweller, Will Romeril’s usual artistic outlet could be the furthest

removed from VR of all the FLUX ZERO exhibitors. Having tried his hand at several different mediums including painting and sculpting, he eventually discovered the art of silversmithing when his avid interest in Viking and Old

more unusual materials, Will pushes the

boundaries of jewellery design by crafting functional but stylistically unconventional original pieces.

‘DO IT RIGHT, THEN BREAK THE RULES’

Norse history began to seep into his

While self-admittedly, he is not the most the

art. The demand for exceptional quality

most tech-savvy individual, on entering VR, Will

within the jewellery industry inspired

was surprised with the speed in which he picked

Will’s ‘do it right, then break the rules’

up the skills to begin creating. He found that VR

attitude and he has learned traditional,

offered a highly physical element that regular

centuries-old silversmithing techniques

design software does not and he was happy to

to capture the detail and quality of yore.

learn by trial and error. Realising that VR does

Working with whatever metals he can

not adhere to the rules of the real world, he

get his hands on, and sometimes other

aimed to something truly colossal.

#WR00

FEELING SMALL

Will’s FLUX ZERO exhibit, ’Feeling Small’

environments are unaffected by the laws of

certainly replicates the imposing nature of the

gravity and time, Will believes there could

prehistoric monuments and standing stones

be some interesting future possibilities for

that inspired it. Created using cube shaped

creating jewellery in VR, especially if paired

3D paintbrushes in Medium, the monoliths

with a 3D printer.

have a worn and weathered aesthetic that could only be gained through the passage of time (or the limitless possibilities of VR). Wishing to make his exhibit even more immersive, Will also collaborated with Virtual Reality Jersey’s Tim McGuinness to create realistic textures, lighting and grass using Unreal Engine, a development tool used to power the cinematic experience of AAA games and Hollywood movies. Although he views his flirt with VR as just that, a flirt. However, due to the fact VR 33

ARTIST PROFILE:

li Nightingale has spent the

canvas or wall. Not one to dwell too

last few months preparing

much on arty concepts, Oliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artwork

for both FLUX ZERO and

is often influenced by his day to day

his very first solo art exhibition, Oli

life or visual reference.

Nightingaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ma(hoo)sive Drawings, which showcased his penchant for

Using Kingspray, Oli combined

creating highly stylised pen and ink

his knowledge of graphic design

drawings made from hundreds of tiny

software with graffiti techniques,

caricatures. Perhaps subconsciously,

and he quickly picked up a natural

his FLUX ZERO exhibit Anonymous,

flow and rhythm while working in

acted as an escape from the

the VR environment. Simply titled

intricately detailed worlds of

Anonymous, the VR graffiti mural

Ma(hoo)sive Drawings, allowing

completes a set of artworks inspired

him to reconnect with another of his

by the striking forms and figures

passions, graffiti art. Although he is

of Ancient Greek sculpture. Oli

primarily an illustrator, Oli began

has also produced similar pieces in

painting graffiti with friends as a

watercolour, pen and ink, and as

hobby and has used the medium to

a graffiti mural on a real-life wall.

broaden his artistic skillset, adopting

While he approached his piece with

a style that combines the larger than

the previous designs as his template,

life wackiness of his illustrations

he used the unlimited paint and undo

with classic street graffiti. Oli

button of VR to experiment with

prefers an honest and free-flowing

colour and structure, making it quite

approach, allowing ideas to evolve

different to its sister pieces.

naturally from sketch book to the

OLI COMBINED HIS KNOWLEDGE OF GRAPHIC DESIGN SOFTWARE WITH GRAFFITI TECHNIQUES #ON00

ANONYMOUS

ARTIST PROFILE:

rawing influence from Ray Pettibon and Marcel Dzama, artists known for

lacing art with social commentary, Will

Bertram illustrates detailed worlds that introduce challenging concepts while remaining accessible to the casual eye. Often looking towards outlandish forms of inspiration, he has tackled heavy subjects

Out of all FLUX ZEROâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exhibitors, Will was

such as cults, the occult, existentialism and his own

perhaps the most enthusiastic about bringing his

misfortune in a way that is visually stimulating,

art into VR. Going into VR for the first time, Will

light-hearted and darkly humorous. Will has

found the sculptural abilities and tangible results

a penchant for self-reference. Transcending

he was looking for almost immediately in Tilt

individual pieces of artwork, he allows his kooky

Brush. He especially enjoyed the physicality of

characters and memorable imagery to exist in a

drawing all around him without the limitations of a

shared universe, even between vastly different

frame causing disconnect from the art.

exhibitions and topics. Those familiar with his artwork will often discover hidden hints and

Although it once again recalls some of the

throwbacks to previous works.

recurring themes found in his artwork, Willâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

#WB00

FORGOTTEN STRUCTURES WITHOUT THE LIMITATIONS OF A FRAME CAUSING DISCONNECT FROM THE ART. FLUX ZERO exhibit, ‘Forgotten Structures’ is

original paintings. While the exact setting of

perhaps one of his most personal and existential

‘Forgotten Structures’ may be unclear at first,

pieces of artwork. Utilising VR’s world-building

Will promises there are clues to be found that

abilities, he has quite literally created a world. A

reveal a story.

beautiful glowing river, a stargazing observatory and a space shuttle crash site are just a few of the

On reflection, Will believes that creating art

scenes to be discovered among the mountainous

in VR has changed his perception of his art in

terrain and cacti abundant plains of ‘Forgotten

the real world. His most recent post-FLUX

Structures’. Another fascinating element can

ZERO paintings have been directly affected by

be found in the log cabin, which is home to

the project especially in terms of perspective,

a virtual art exhibition of never before seen

depth of field and framing. 37

#CB00

#WB04

BUYING FLUX ARTW0RK

To buy any FLUX artwork you will need the Art Ref #. You can find this on the relevant artist page in this magazine.

Enter Art Ref # on the following page along with the quantity needed and pass to a FLUX Representitive or email order to zero@flux.je.

ALUMINIUM - Light & Sturdy - Resistant to atmospheric agents - Available in three sizes [A0/A1/A2] - Digitally or Hand Signed

POSTERS - Standard sizes for easy framing - Individually packaged in tubes - Available in three sizes [A0/A1/A2] - Digitally Signed

ADVERTS - Standard sizes for easy framing - Individually packaged - Available in three sizes [A2/A3/A4] - Digitally Signed

WALLPAPER - Easy to apply / remove - Scratch Resistant - Available in textured finish 40

SIGNATURE

Printed Printed Printed

A0 (84.1 x 11.89 cm)

A1 (59.4 x 84.1 cm)

A2 (42 x 59.4 cm)

Printed Printed

A1 (59.4 x 84.1 cm)

A2 (42 x 59.4 cm)

Printed

A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

50+

100+

50+

AVAILABILITY

£50.00/1m²

Various Various

‘Cultum’

‘Disco Party 2017’

£15.00

£18.00

£20.00

£25.00

£27.00

£30.00

£325.00

£300.00

£250.00

£500.00

PRICE

TOTAL AMOUNT

from £15.00 +

3D MODELS - Contact zero@flux.je for more info

Size Per 1m²

Printed

A3 (29.7 x 42 cm)

WALLPAPER PRINT

Printed

A2 (42 x 59.4 cm)

ADVERT PRINTS

Printed

A0 (84.1 x 11.89 cm)

POSTER PRINTS

Hand-Signed

A1 (59.4 x 84.1 cm)

ALUMINIUM PRINTS

PRODUCT

ART REF #

QUANTITY

THANKS FLUX ZER0 has only been made possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of our friends, artists and sponsors. We cannot thank you enough for your contribution!

FLUX FOUNDERS

[Concept Development / Event coordination / Creation] Technology and Communications Director

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Tim McGuinness [VRJersey]

Sam Bullock [snap.je]

ADVISOR

EVENTS & MARKETING DIRECTOR

Ben Le Brocq [VRJersey]

Tom Le Sueur [snap.je]

VIRTUAL REALITY JERSEY 42

FLUX TEAM

[who worked tirelessly to make our ideas a reality] VIDEOGRAPHY

PROJECTIONS/MUSIC

COPYWRITING

Peter Taylor-Fitch [PTF Motion]

Alex Dasca Bogdan Borodi]

Adam Bouteloup [Freelance]