What is Zoomscape Zoetrope?
A zoetropic light experience, designed to be viewed from moving train windows upon arrival and departure from Bristol Temple Meads station. The proposal aims to capitalise on the railway as a cinematic space of arrival in the city to deliver a playful and memorable experience. Founders Jack Wates and Thomas Blackburn are keen to celebrate the space of public transport infrastructure given its environmental role in the reduction of carbon emissions, as well as congestion in our cities. From the train carriage, the work is designed to be experienced as an evolving animation of colour and pattern seemingly suspended in the window, while static observers would experience dynamic movements of light along the length of the installation, in dialogue with the moving train. People would be able to actively influence the work, while the content would also change with each passing train, creating a novel experience for both static observers and commuters.
An insight into Jack Wates and Thomas Blackburn
Jack is a London-based artist, designer and educator. He has a background in architecture and a specialism in working with light and technology. His practice is formed around the production of spatial experiences with projects taking form across a wide range of disciplines from public realm art projects and multi-sensory installations, to architectural interventions, scenography, lighting design and the production of images. Jack is interested in the notion of ‘performative’ installation – art projects that can evolve, transform or respond to interaction, to produce powerful spatial moments. Jack has worked with institutions such as the Barbican, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Wellcome Collection, RIBA, British Music Experience, PACE Gallery, Kallos Gallery, Onca Gallery and Roca Gallery. Alongside his practice, Jack teaches part-time as an associate lecturer on the MA Interior & Spatial Design course at UAL and as a senior lecturer at the Instituto Marangoni in London.
Thomas Blackburn is a creative technologist with a specialism in sound, lighting and video. He has previously collaborated with Jack on commissions for the Brighton Digital Festival and Light Night Liverpool, as well as on independent art projects, such as Storm Room, a site-specific intervention in the Lethaby Building in London.