Rebecca Baumann is a Western Australian, interdisciplinary artist known for her distinctive use of colour, light and time. She will be creating a vast, immersive experience with her latest solo exhibition, Manoeuvres, set to open at Fremantle Arts Centre at the end of this week. One of the pieces, the title work, was commissioned specifically for FAC, and uses electromagnetic flip dot displays, like the ones once used in the stock market and now seen on buses. We caught up with the rising star to discuss her new work.
Rebecca Baumann, photo by Bo Wong.
Official job title: Visual artist.
Tell us about your career background and how you’ve come to where you are now:
I studied a Fine Art degree at Curtin University straight out of high school and after a few years of working for festivals and arts organisations, I decided to get back into my practice. That was in 2007, and I have been exhibiting pretty frequently ever since.
What have you been working on lately?
I’ve been working on Manoeuvres, which opens at Fremantle Arts Centre on Friday 20 November. The works I’m creating involve colour, light and time, and have been influenced by outdated information and signage technology.
The massive title work sounds really cool – can you tell us a bit about it and your process for creating it?
Manoeuvres uses a series of flip-dot displays in a spatial constellation throughout the hallways and galleries of FAC. I am programming them in order to create a ‘chromatic narrative’. I’ve been working with an engineer through this process – he has created the software that I’m using, and then I’ve been creating animated, colour-filled sequences on the displays, which will lead the audience through the space.
Both images: Rebecca Baumann, Manoeuvres (detail), 2015, flip-dots, custom software, dimensions variable.
You’re off to Finland next year – what will you be getting up to?
Chasing the Northern Lights!
Describe your workspace:
It swings between order and chaos, but I would say it’s a glorious mess most of the time. I’m a bit of a bowerbird, and have an ever-growing collection of materials and devices.
Rebecca at work, photo by Bo Wong.
Who, or what, inspires you?
I think inspiration is everywhere – so I always try and keep my eyes open. It may be as simple as light coming through the window, creating a fleeting composition on the wall.
What do you love about Perth?
The supportive arts community, the space, swimming at the beach.
What does Perth need?
More passionate and enthusiastic people who want to see things happen. There are already a lot of people who are driving interesting spaces, festivals, and ideas in Perth, but the more the merrier!
Photo by Bo Wong.
Most frequented coffee shop?
I make a pretty mean stove-top espresso, though while I’ve been working on Manoeuvres definitely Canvas at Fremantle Arts Centre.
Best live music venue?
The Bird
Favourite beach?
Leighton Rebecca
Rebecca’s latest show, Manoeuvres, opens at Fremantle Arts Centre this Friday 20 November at 630pm and then runs from 21 November 2015 to 24 January 2016. Entry is free. You can check out more of Rebecca’s work on her website: rebeccabaumann.com.