Creating New Spaces: Interviews with artists redefining spaces through technology

Robin Petterd
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Explore the practice of creating media art installations with the Creating New Spaces podcast. In each episode, the host Robin Petterd brings you interviews with artists who are pushing the boundaries of art and technology. The podcast focuses on the intricacies of media installation and art, revealing the creative and technical processes behind the scenes. Perfect for artists, students, educators, and anyone interested in experimental art practice. Listen to hear conversations that illuminate the processes and challenges of new ways of working.

  1. Designing public interactions through sound with Michael Baker

    FEB 21

    Designing public interactions through sound with Michael Baker

    In this podcast you will learn how sound-led public artworks can turn everyday places into shared, playable environments.  In this interview Michael Baker is the Sound Director at Daily tous les jours we explore some of the thinking behind Daily Tous Les Jours’ public artworks.  Daily tous les jours is known for large-scale participatory works such as Musical Swings, as well as their book Strangers Need Strange Moments Together, which reflects on designing interaction in public space. This interview is the first in a series that focuses on media art works in public space.     Listen to this podcast to learn about: Why music acts as “social glue” in public space and how it supports relationalityHow the Musical Swings series of works map movement and synchrony into musical structureDesigning interactions that are legible without instructionsLow-tech prototyping methods (before code) that test the real experienceThe differences between touring works and permanent outdoor installationsCommon failure points in public work: weather, wear, and mechanical/electronic overlapWhy the “artwork” is ultimately the people using the piece, togetherChapters (00:00:00) Finding the hidden rhythm: sound between chaos & musical order (00:00:24) Welcome + acknowledgement of country (00:00:48) Series kickoff: Media art in public spaces (meet Daily tous les jours) (00:01:40) Michael Baker’s role: Why audio is the perfect public-space interface (00:02:44) “Make sure it makes music”: Music as social glue & pre‑verbal play (00:05:24) Accidental encounters: The magic of unexpected public art (00:06:22) Case study: Musical swings—wonder, all ages, all walks of life (00:07:38) Sync & sway: How the swings create emergent harmony (tech + behavior) (00:09:56) From mirror neurons to intimacy: Why we copy each other (00:10:41) Interactive pavement: Grid rhythms, emergent rules & dancing together (00:11:48) No instructions needed: Designing clear, simple gestures (00:13:45) Prototyping at scale: Iteration, tape-on-the-ground tests & deadlines (00:16:13) Tweak vs deliver: Working with clients, museums & touring constraints (00:17:51) Testing with fresh eyes: First-time users as the real benchmark (00:19:25) Temporary vs permanent: Durability, public “hacks,” and extreme weather (00:21:41) Platforms & toolchains: MAX/MSP, TouchDesigner, and choosing what fits (00:23:50) What public media art really is: The artwork is the people (00:25:29) Wrap-up, thanks, and share the show About Daily tous les jours Daily tous les jours is a Montreal-based art and design studio that creates interactive installations in public spaces. Founded in 2010 by Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat, the studio is known for large-scale participatory works such as Musical Swings. Their projects use technology, music and movement to bring strangers together and transform everyday urban spaces into sites of collective experience. About Michael Baker Michael Baker is the Sound Director at Daily tous les jours, where he oversees the sonic landscape of the studio’s interactive installations. In his role, he develops sound palettes, generative compositional systems, and integrated audio environments that respond to movement and collective behaviour in public space. Michael holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in electroacoustics from Concordia University. An accomplished electroacoustic composer, his work has been presented at international festivals including the 60x60 Festival (Canada/US), the Livewire Festival (Maryland), and the Canadian Electroacoustic Community Symposium (Montreal). Links from the podcast: Learn more about Daily Tous Les JoursLearn more about 21 Balançoires (musical swings)Read Strangers Need Strange Moments Together

    26 min
  2. Staying, Making, Connecting: The 2025 creative playbook

    JAN 2

    Staying, Making, Connecting: The 2025 creative playbook

    In this podcast you will learn how media artists stay with uncertainty, make deliberate choices with technology, and build work through collaboration—with people, place, ecology, and time. This is a 2025 compilation episode, bringing together the advice I ask for at the end of every conversation on Creating New Spaces. Across the year, artists returned to a few shared concerns: how to keep going when meaning arrives slowly, how to test and refine work without being led by the tools, and how installation practice is shaped by teams, trust, and the systems around us. Listen to this podcast to learn about:How to stay with the work when it’s unclear, slow, or shiftingHow to make with machines through testing, revision, and refinementHow media work becomes shared — through collaboration, community, and ecologyGuests featured Johan F Karlsson, Ariana Gerstein, Monteith Mccollum, Matt Warren, Rita Eperjesi, Georgie Friedman, Matthew Ragan, Troy Merritt, Darryl Rogers, Alex Moss, Maggie Jeffries, and Keith Armstrong Chapters (00:00:00) Intro: staying, making, connecting (00:00:52) Staying with the work: pace, patience, resilience (Johan, Ariana, Matt, Rita) (00:05:51) Making with machines: testing, tools, refinement (Georgie Friedman, Matthew, Troy) (00:09:34) Making with others: teams, shared practice, impact (Darryl Rogers, Alex and Maggie, Keith) (00:14:17) Closing Links from the podcast Guests Johan F Karlsson— websiteAriana Gerstein — websiteMatt Warren— websiteRita Eperjesi — websiteGeorgie Friedman — websiteMatthew Ragan — websiteTroy Merritt / Soma Lumia — websiteDarryl Rogers — websiteAlex Moss — websiteMaggie Jeffries — websiteKeith Armstrong — websiteProjects and organisations mentioned The Weather at Midnight Moonah Arts CentreDissolution Lacuna

    15 min
  3. Creating a shared practice with Alex Moss & Maggie Jeffries

    10/24/2025

    Creating a shared practice with Alex Moss & Maggie Jeffries

    In this podcast you will learn how artists Alex Moss and Maggie May Jeffries developed a shared creative process that bridges traditional painting and interactive media. In this interview, Alex Moss and Maggie Jeffries discuss the creative process behind The Weather at midnight. The exhibition combines painting, projection, and real-time interaction to create a shifting environment of light and movement. Through subtle digital overlays and live painting, static canvases become dynamic, evolving works that change with audience presence. The exhibition was presented at Moonah Arts Centre. Alex Moss is a Lutruwita/Tasmanian-based media artist whose work transforms spaces through projected light, sound design, and interactive elements. Maggie May Jeffries is a painter from Lutruwita/Tasmania whose practice explores memory, environment, and sensory experience through layered, detailed compositions.  Listen to this podcast to learn about: The role of experimentation, trust, and structure in cross-disciplinary collaboration, and how shared workshops shaped Alex and Maggie’s evolving process.How data, audience presence, and live performance intertwined during the exhibition.    What “slow noticing” reveals about time, attention, and the perception of creative work.Chapters (00:00:00) Introduction to artist collaboration (00:01:18) Meet Maggie and Alex (00:01:52) The weather at midnight project (00:04:17) Audience experience and interaction (00:05:51) Inspiration and process (00:09:11) Live painting and performance (00:18:06) Workshops and collaboration (00:23:26) Future directions and advice (00:25:13) Conclusion and farewell About Alex Moss Alex Moss is a media artist based in Lutruwita/Tasmania and a member of Second Echo Ensemble. With over ten years of experience, his work spans projection, sound design, and interactive installation, transforming spaces through light and sensory engagement. He has created work for the University of Tasmania, Hobart City Council, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and the Huon Valley Mid-Winter Festival. Alex received the 2023 Best Sound Design Professional Theatre Award for Outside Boy with Second Echo Ensemble. About Maggie Jeffries Maggie May Jeffries is a painter based in Lutruwita/Tasmania and a member of Second Echo Ensemble. Her practice explores memory, place, and the natural environment through layered paintings that merge observation with imagination. She graduated with First Class Honours in Fine Art and Psychology from the University of Tasmania in 2022. Represented by Despard Gallery, she received the NEXT Award in 2018 and was a finalist in the 2024 Women’s Art Prize Tasmania. Links from this podcast with Alex Moss and Maggie Jeffries The weather at midnightVisit Moonah Arts CentreExplore Moonah Arts Centre’s exhibition page for The weather at midnightVisit Alex Moss’ websiteFollow Alex Moss on InstagramLearn more about Maggie May Jeffries at Despard GalleryFollow Maggie May Jeffries on Instagram

    26 min
  4. Cultivating curiosity in creative coding with Matthew Ragan

    09/26/2025

    Cultivating curiosity in creative coding with Matthew Ragan

    In this podcast you will learn why curiosity matters more than technical skill.   In this interview, Matthew Ragan explores coding as a practice of sculpting and rehearsal, showing how collaboration with technology leads to more fluid and sustainable creative outcomes.Matthew Ragan is a California-based creative technologist, educator, and co-founder of SudoMagic. He has an MFA in interdisciplinary digital media and performance. His TouchDesigner tutorials are used by creatives worldwide. Listen to this podcast to learn about: Why curiosity and patience matter more than technical skill in creative codingWhat Matthew Ragan’s circus training revealed about working with technology as a collaborator rather than an obstacle.Why “slow coding” offers a sustainable counterbalance to the culture of instant results.Chapters (00:00:00) Introduction and host's acknowledgment (00:00:48) Guest introduction: Matthew Ragan (00:01:15) The importance of curiosity in creative coding (00:02:31) Exploring noise algorithms and sculpting (00:05:08) Lessons from circus performance to coding (00:07:17) Balancing creative and commercial projects (00:09:15) Matthew's journey into coding (00:22:03) Choosing the right tools and languages (00:24:03) Advice for newcomers and final thoughts (00:30:55) Conclusion and call to action About Matthew Ragan Matthew Ragan is a California-based creative technologist, educator, and artist whose work bridges performance and technology. With a background in acting, dance, and circus arts, he brings embodied lessons of rehearsal and collaboration into his creative coding practice. He has shaped a generation of artists through his widely used TouchDesigner tutorials, and professionally he has led large-scale projects at Obscura Digital and the Madison Square Garden Company, including Art on theMart and the MSG Sphere. He is the co-founder of SudoMagic, a boutique software and design studio. Links from the podcast with Matthew Ragan Visit Matthew Ragan’s websiteExplore Matthew Ragan’s teaching resourcesVisit SudoMagic, the studio he co-foundedFollow Matthew Ragan on InstagramSee Matthew Ragan’s GitHub projectsDiscover TouchDesigner, the platform central to his teaching and creative coding practiceLearn more about Python, a core scripting language in his workWatch Matthew’s masterclass for Interactive & Immersive HQ: How to approach building a real project on YouTube

    31 min
  5. Embracing unpredictability and physical process in immersive art with Georgie Friedman

    07/12/2025

    Embracing unpredictability and physical process in immersive art with Georgie Friedman

    In this podcast, discover how physical prototyping, water systems, and shifting sound and light bring Georgie Friedman’s installations to life. In this interview, Georgie Friedman explores the creative process behind Dissolution, an immersive installation blending spatial sound, projection-mapped video and dripping water to evoke a dark, cave-like stillness. The work was installed at Gallery A2, part of Artisans Asylum, a collaborative makerspace in Boston. Georgie is a Boston-based interdisciplinary media artist and educator. Her background in film, sculpture and digital media informs a practice rooted in physical experimentation, environmental phenomena and spatial design. Listen to this podcast to learn about: Why physical prototyping is essential for immersive media workCreating installations that incorporate live waterHow projection mapping changes when your surfaces sway, drip and shiftChapters (00:00:00) Introduction to the Dissolution (00:00:33) Podcast introduction and acknowledgements (00:01:14) Interview with Georgie Friedman begins   (00:01:35) Exploring the installation Dissolution (00:03:06) Concept and inspiration behind the piece   (00:05:46) Technical aspects and challenges  (00:09:42) Projection mapping and unexpected outcomes   (00:16:24) Reflections and future projects  (00:17:42) Advice for aspiring artists and conclusion About Georgie Friedman Georgie Friedman is a Boston-based interdisciplinary media artist whose immersive installations explore psychological and societal relationships to natural phenomena. Her work integrates large-scale video projection, sculptural forms, spatial sound and physical elements like water to create contemplative, sensory-rich environments. Drawing on site-based research and footage, she reflects on themes of climate, transformation and human fragility. Georgie holds an MFA from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University, where she currently teaches. Her projects have been exhibited internationally and commissioned for public spaces. Links from the podcast with Georgie Friedman Visit Georgie Friedman’s websiteFollow Georgie on InstagramLearn more about DissolutionVisit Gallery A2

    21 min
  6. Intervals: Creative responses to space with Johan F. Karlsson

    06/03/2025

    Intervals: Creative responses to space with Johan F. Karlsson

    In this podcast, you’ll learn how Johan F. Karlsson uses observation, intuition, and the concept of ma to shape site-specific installations that reveal subtle changes in space and time. In this interview, Johan F. Karlsson talks about the creative process behind Against the day and The space that remains. The installations are part of the exhibition Forever is nothing, developed during Johan’s residency at Space Department, a Japanese residency program that supports architecture and spatial-based art practices. Johan F. Karlsson is a Swedish artist whose work investigates time, space, and ephemeral processes. His practice spans video, performance, photography, and sculpture. He holds an MA in Photography from Aalto University and a BA in Culture and Arts from Novia University of Applied Sciences. Listen to this podcast to learn about: How the concept of ma guided a process of waiting, noticing, and responding How intuition and site-specific observation replace fixed planning in creative workflows How time becomes both material and subject in durational video installationChapters (00:00:00) Introduction and acknowledgements (00:00:38) Exploring the concept of 'ma' (00:01:21) Artistic process and residency experience (00:02:43) Creating 'Against the day' (00:04:37) Creating 'The space that remains' (00:07:53) Reflections on artistic practice (00:15:07) Advice for aspiring artists (00:16:15) Conclusion and farewell About Johan F. Karlsson Johan F. Karlsson is a Malmö-based artist whose work spans photography, video, performance, and sculptural installations using natural materials. With an MA in Photography from Aalto University and a BA in Culture and Arts from Novia University, his practice explores time, space, and perception through slow, ephemeral processes. Drawing on site-specific phenomena and the transience of materials, Johan's work invites viewers into a deeper connection with the rhythms of nature and the passage of time. His installations often examine how change and duration shape human experience. Links from the podcast with Johan F. Karlsson Visit Johan F. Karlsson’s website Visit the Space Department website Read Robin’s reflection on exhibiting at Space Department – House shows: Reflections on space and interaction Learn more about Against the Day Learn more about The Space That Remains

    17 min
  7. Keith Armstrong on collaborating with forests

    05/03/2025

    Keith Armstrong on collaborating with forests

    What does it mean to make art for a forest—not just about it? Keith Armstrong explores this question through his long-term project Forest Art Intelligence, which blends ecological recovery with creative experimentation. Forest Art Intelligence is a project that regenerates a cleared block of land into a native forest. Developed in partnership with the Samford Ecological Research Facility (SERF) and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN), the project will be supported in 2024 through an ANAT Synapse Residency. Keith’s work challenges how we engage with ecological systems—inviting participation, reflection, and action. Listen to this podcast to learn about: Creating artworks that support environmental recovery by providing habitat and enhancing ecological systems.Using analogue materials—like logs, soil, and fungi—together with digital tools such as LIDAR and acoustic sensors to interact with a living site.Why long-term, site-specific engagement matters—and how repeated visits shape an artist’s way of observing and responding to place.Chapters  (00:00:00) Introduction and acknowledgements (00:00:56) Welcome and project overview (00:02:09) Forest art intelligence explained (00:03:27) Art intelligence and environmental regeneration (00:07:35) Scientific collaboration and data collection (00:08:21) Gardening vs. regeneration (00:20:51) Collaborating with nature (00:26:46) Advice for creatives (00:28:31) Conclusion and wrap-up About Keith Armstrong   Keith Armstrong is an artist whose practice is grounded in ecological and social inquiry. He creates participatory, site-specific and technologically embedded works that ask how art can become a tool for rethinking our relationship with the environment and systems. He has led and created more than sixty major art and research-based projects. His work has been supported by fellowships from Creative Australia, the Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT), and the Synapse Art-Science Residency program. Links from the podcast with Keith Armstrong: Visit Keith Armstrong’s websiteFollow Keith Armstrong on InstagramLearn more about Forest Art IntelligenceLearn more about Analog Intelligence at ISEA 2024Visit the Samford Ecological Research Facility (SERF) website and the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) website   Learn more about Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT)

    29 min
  8. The evolution of Lacunae with Soma Lumia

    03/28/2025

    The evolution of Lacunae with Soma Lumia

    In this podcast, you will learn how Lacunae, an interactive installation by Tasmanian artist collective Soma Lumia, has evolved through multiple iterations. Lacunae is an interactive installation that enables people to dance with others in different locations through projected silhouettes and sound. In this conversation, Darryl Rogers and Troy Merritt from Soma Lumia share the journey of Lacunae. The project was born during COVID-19 to rethink how technology shapes human connection. It was originally designed for the Mona Foma festival as events began to re-open after the COVID-19 lockdowns. Since then, it has evolved, layering live and recorded interactions—where dancers move not just across space, but across time. Lacunae has become an ongoing experiment for Soma Lumia. Listen to this episode to learn about: The iterative process behind Lacunae and why each version is a new creative experiment.The role of collaboration in how Soma Lumia works.The transition from Kinect sensors to webcams and how this offered different creative possibilities. Chapters (00:00:00) Introduction and acknowledgements (00:01:32) Meet the artists: Darryl and Troy (00:02:56) Exploring the concept of Lacunae (00:04:01) Development and evolution of Lacunae (00:09:12) Audience interaction and feedback (00:10:33) Technical challenges and solutions (00:18:11) Collaborative process and team dynamics (00:21:24) Reflections and advice for artists (00:25:59) Conclusion and final thoughts About Soma Lumia Soma Lumia is a tech-art collective based in Launceston, Tasmania, founded in 2015. Their work explores the boundary between physical and digital, movement and technology, real and virtual. The collective has presented projects at Illuminate Adelaide, Botanica, Beaker Street, the South Australia Museum, the University of Houston, and Mona Foma. Their practice is deeply rooted in experimentation and collaboration, bringing in new voices—technologists, dancers, musicians, and designers—to expand each project’s scope. Lacunae is a prime example of how their work evolves over time, rather than existing as a single fixed installation. The core members are Darryl Rogers, James Riggall, and Troy Merritt. Darryl Rogers is a media artist working with video, installation, and immersive platforms to explore perception and spatial transformation.Troy Merritt is a creative technologist with over two decades of experience in media systems, interactivity, and augmented environments.James Riggall is an entrepreneur and educator working at the intersection of immersive technology, storytelling, and digital experience design. Links from the podcast: Learn more about Lacunae on Soma Lumia’s websiteLearn more about Mona FomaFollow Soma Lumia on Instagram

    26 min
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Explore the practice of creating media art installations with the Creating New Spaces podcast. In each episode, the host Robin Petterd brings you interviews with artists who are pushing the boundaries of art and technology. The podcast focuses on the intricacies of media installation and art, revealing the creative and technical processes behind the scenes. Perfect for artists, students, educators, and anyone interested in experimental art practice. Listen to hear conversations that illuminate the processes and challenges of new ways of working.

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