Megan Willis
Visualising the Intangible.
This project explores the notion of an archetypal human need to visualise the intangible, looking beyond the everyday to bridge the gap between worlds. It is about how this once religious notion is translated into a modern, secular society. Working collaboratively with a music producer and a 3D designer I have explored the two most important aspects of the material culture of shamanic rituals - the costume and the drum. The electronic pulse of the music - representing the drum – was recorded through an oscilloscope. The visuals from this process inspired the design of the fabrics. The peristaltic motion of the animation is an x ray into the imagined being that inhabits the sculpture.
Megan has a background in fine art which has led her to explore the convergence of fine and applied art. 6 months as a studio assistant for designer Neisha Crosland inspired her to focus on textile design. At the RCA she been using fabric screen printing alongside drawing and painting to illustrate the material culture surrounding ritual. Her work breaks disciplinary boundaries, creating holistic and immersive pieces of art, exploring polarities such as ancient versus modern, and organic versus electronic.
