Typeface

By Vaimaila Urale in conjunction with Johann Nortje

Tuesday 7 February – 21 March 2012  

Typeface merges the concept of ASCII art* with interactive technology and contemporary Polynesian mark making. Vaimaila Urale takes her inspiration from traditional Samoan art forms of Tatau (tattoo) and Tapa (bark cloth) and has created a unique set of digital patterns using basic keyboard characters, motifs and symbols such as > / <.   

Working in collaboration with digital media artist Johann Nortje, Urale designed a work where the viewer’s physical movements activate unique layers of patterning.  People’s reflections in front of the Digital Art Live screen become embedded with Urale’s vibrant Pacific influenced patterns. 

*ASCII art is an early computer image making technique using keyboard characters to form pictures. 

Vaimaila Urale

Vaimaila is an Auckland-based artist who works experimentally with video, installation and performance-based art.  A key focus to her practice is to engage viewers in innovative and challenging ways. Urale was born in Fagamalo, Samoa and immigrated to New Zealand as a young child.  She has a Bachelor of Visual Arts from AUT and is also a member of art collective D.a.n.c.e Art Club. 

Urale has participated in diverse exhibitions and art events in Public Art Galleries, Community Galleries, Arts Festivals and public spaces.  She is currently working on a Creative NZ funded project with artist Rangituhia Hollis to create interactive artworks for an exhibition at Mangere Arts Centre.  Her art collective will also be participating in a Letting Space project at the Erupt Taupo Arts Festival, as well taking part in the Next Wave Festival, Melbourne in May this year.  

Johann Nortje, Developer

Johann specialises in video-based production design for installations, theatre and live interactive performance media. His video art focuses on three-dimensional surface mapping, and his research interests concentrate on the relationship between light, space and performance, with particular interest in the ephemerality of personal experience within performance.

His work has been shown at various international festivals including the European Festival of Music, the Rome Summer Solstice Festival, the Eternal Tiber Festival, the New York River to River Festival, the Birth of Rome Celebrations, and the New Zealand International Arts Festival. He has a Masters of Design degree in interactive media from Victoria University, Wellington, where he teaches design theory and research.