At The Vanishing Point - Hexamatic - Johannes Muljana & Pamela Lee Brenner

Hexamatic – A confoundedly great show, wowed from the very moment of walking into At The Vanishing Point. When it comes to interactive video work then you’ve got me, you have my full attention.

‘Hashes to Ashes’ data visualisation software, computer, projection, audio, 2013 is the direct response to when Linkedin suffered at the hands of hackers and over one million passwords were hacked. This work is brilliant, the use of overlaying colours with passwords decrypted from hashes is probably technically simple but for a tech simpleton like myself it’s so effective, I remember reading about this break in when it happened and with the help of Muljana and Brenner to remind us to how and what our passwords should be or not.

We all make the same mistake of repeat use of our passwords, something we all need to stop doing.
 After seeing this work I made the effort and changed all my passwords.

‘Traces’ software, video, projection, this work is the finished product from a residency at Fraser Studios in 2011, and is also brilliant with etched figures superimposed over a warehouse interior background, dancing across the screen.

The moment when you realize that there is something more than a room full of portable radios and just out of sheer luck as you are walking around the room and notice something changes in the process. ‘Oh I like that’ and then I get excited. Listening intently, but realizing I can’t for the life of me understand a word, each radio projected spoken sound, ‘Interference’ 2012 sound transmission, video projection is a wonderful intelligent put together piece and one I would have liked to have taken home. Radio transmissions of speeches made by world leaders and a chance to catch yourself projected onto the wall just for a fraction of time.

Johannes Muljana and Pamela Lee Brenner are two equally passionate Artist’s, their work is diverse, they don’t just make pretty pictures projected onto walls they make works with meaning and substance, stories unfold, giving us a wake up call to change the way we protect our privacy. I loved the subtle reference when I realized what most of these work were actually about as none of these works were in your face, more like quiet achievers which left a lasting impression.

So it was a pity that no one from ATVP bothered to turn up on the last day to make access available for the artist’s and to allow visitors to view and experience this show. Not sure what the hell happened there but I’m very thankful I was one of the lucky ones to see it.

Fleur MacDonald

15th August - 1st September
www.a9project.net