Press brings together the work of two artists, Sue Beyer and Tara Pattenden. Both artists employ digital technologies to produce physical objects that emphasise tactile, sonic and spatial experiences. These works locate technology in materiality, present as objects in the gallery. These technologies act as metaphors for networked data, while simultaneously pointing to the physicality of technological forms, which is often ignored in the digital era.
For Beyer, the composition of self-portraiture is assigned to big data and machine learning. The resulting installation is a spatial and temporal cross-platform installation, which collages disparate data and ultimately tells the viewer more about the technology than the subject.
Pattenden repurposes secondhand objects, materials and technologies within her sonic-based practice. Using software, she creates a scenario that is then completed by the viewer when they interact with the work.
Both artists incorporate the automated nature of software technologies, to set in place a scenario that is completed independently of the artist. For Beyer, software determines the objects and subject; for Pattenden, the software allows a context for interaction and play within the gallery. In both cases, software is used to automate key components of the work, embracing chaos and chance as a method of production.
