Created by: Perrin Ellis & Michelle Vine From: Brisbane, QLD, Australia

The Wandering Birds Have Returned to the River (Even Bernice)

What imaginary giant bird built these nests? What did they look like? And how did they act? Made of repurposed and reusable consumer goods and inspired by the giant megafauna of prehistoric Australia, these five thought provoking nests form an inviting, comfortable playground for visitors. The construction of the nests and the accompanying sound and AR elements hint at the nature of the nest makers.

This multi-layered installation draws from the paleontological record of pre-historic giant birds, and the rigorous speculation that goes into their reconstruction. It can be experienced in multiple ways: the physical nests, the mysterious narrative of the birds in AR, the ability to speculate about them via an online interface.

As contributors to this artwork, primary schoolchildren were asked to speculate on the possible structure and look of these ancient birds and their images have been used in the accompanying AR. Constructed using fabric, foam, pool noodles, recycled plastic, and LED lights, the artwork also takes advantage of contemporary technology, in the form of augmented reality (AR) as a means of adding a layer of imagination and interpretation.

About the Creators

Perrin Ellis is senior lecturer in interactive media at the Queensland College of Art, Griffith University, where they are program director of the Master of Interactive Media program and convenor of the Interaction Design major. They are a narrative artist and interface designer; they have worked with libraries, museums and galleries on their collections and exhibitions, most recently the Museum of Brisbane and the State Library of Queensland.

Michelle Vine is an installation artist whose practice is centred on physical touch. Vine creates participatory and physically interactive works that are positive and playful for audiences of all ages; her works embed disability inclusion from their initial design. In 2020 Vine was showcased as one of Australia’s best emerging artists in Hatched: The National Graduate Show at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art (PICA).

Guest creators Lota State High School.

For more information: perrinellis.com/curiocity/

Photograph: @Embellysh