AMPLIFIED
Image: Laura Ranola (@lauranola)
Throughout the month of October, Amplified will be on display at Blacktown Arts. We were able to touch base with one of the two brothers, Ernest Aaron, and he shares with us the inspiration and challenges behind the visual art installation.
Andrew and Ernest, two brothers from Blacktown, worked together to create the art installation Amplified. If you grew up in the Western suburbs, you would feel a familiar sense of nostalgia seeing the streets you strolled on throughout the multiple screens.
‘For me, growing up in the Western suburbs developed my creative mind. I would ride around on my bike searching for adventures. When I got older, I would go skating with my friends and eventually build a mini ramp in my parents' backyard, and skate it everyday. In a sense, we made our own action.’ says Ernest.
Image: Laura Ranola (@lauranola)
The creative process for the brothers came natural to them. ‘We would drive around and find spots that we thought would make for interesting photographs, and [we’d] wander around shooting for a while. I would shoot slide film and digital, and Andrew shot digital and also took field recordings. We would then experiment with the content, which would then lead to other things, and then finally to the finished works on display in the gallery.’ Ernest recounts.
Despite the synergy between the two, the brothers still had their fair share of roadblocks and challenges. ‘We were quite ambitious with what the installation would be like and a lot of the layout was done in situ. [There was a] lot of shuffling things around, trying to find a good layout and flow to the exhibition, which is time consuming. I also had several more Cathode Ray Tube televisions in storage that I was planning to include in the show, but they ended up not working - so there are less on display than what we actually planned.’ shares Ernest.
Despite these hiccups, the duo were able to work together and learn from one another. In the future, they hope to dedicate more time on planning the layout so that the pieces are ready to go from the start of the installation period.
Ernest states the installation is an immersive and overwhelming experience, and they want the viewers to consume the areas and places in Blacktown that called to them.
Image: Laura Ranola (@lauranola)
By putting these plain but familiar streets on film, Andrew and Ernest immortalise one of many snapshots of this always-changing suburb. While it may not be the one you know, it may give you a glimpse of a world you never saw, but always existed. Amplified is an art installation you don’t want to miss.
Ernest encourages creatives to make art you truly enjoy. Catch their live performance at Blacktown Arts this Saturday, 19th October at 1.30pm to 3.00pm. Click here to book your tickets.
