Sydney-based photographer Chrissie Hall and Melbourne artist Angie Taylor are not afraid to be photographed holding brains. The brains, fortunately, are plastic and are part of an interactive artwork called 3.99Hz.
The connection between the brain and 3.99Hz is that 3.99 is the frequency associated with the operation of the human brain in REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. “The aim is to encourage the viewer to question and explore the depths of their mind, dreams and imagination,” explains Hall.
The body of work features experimental works of selected films, installations, paintings and photography. Visitors to the exhibition were encouraged to interact with the various experiments and experiences, which included visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves into a small, curtained space to listen to various sounds.
Also the creative director at XRay Doll, Chrissie Hall has held both solo and group exhibitions working with paint, photography and film, both in Australia and internationally. Meanwhile, Angie Taylor has worked in Australia and abroad on various exhibitions and creative research projects.
Hall’s photographs were displayed alongside Taylor’s artworks, in order to allow visitors to view a combination of works exploring various subtle themes of the exhibitions. The themes draw inspiration from the work of Carl Jung and
Sigmund Freud, and additional influence is drawn from surrealist artists Max Ernst and James Gleeson, and American photographer David LaChapelle. To compliment the experience of seeing the work first-hand, a soundscape by Bi0mechanical played in the background, and plastic brains positioned around the walls communicated messages to gallery visitors.
In order to capture the bright, detailed photographs, Hall had to wrangle models, construct elaborate sets and even position an amazing collection of brightly coloured chickens.
3.99Hz was exhibited at Kind of Gallery in St Leonards, NSW, earlier this year.