Experimenta: Vanishing Point (ATOM Study Guide)

Experimenta: Vanishing Point was a 2005 new media event that embraced the concept of illusion in all its forms. Experimenta drives the development of Australian contemporary media arts by providing a creative and interdisciplinary context to bring together artists and audiences in new cultural environments. The study guide will be relevant and useful to teachers and students who did not visit the exhibition as it engages students in many ideas and debates about new media and the arts.

Illusion has been a source of fascination throughout time and the exhibition and the study guide provide opportunities to explore film, art, digital and dramatic forms of it. Filmmakers, digital media artists, designers, scientists and architects came together in this exhibition, exchanging skills and ideas to create a dynamic and relevant exhibition. The concepts and activities in the guide are wide ranging from exploring illusions created by early film and art works such as Leonardo Da Vinci's Vituvian Man to new technologies. The guide provides rich activities and many opportunities to develop critical thinking and aesthetic appreciation. Stills of the exhibits are pictured along with details of their creators and discussion points that challenge students to deconstruct the work and to respond to it.

Curriculum links:
The study guide provides an opportunity for upper primary and secondary teachers to bring together the Arts, Mathematics, Science, Technology, English and SOSE / HSIE with an emphasis on illusion, perception, perspectives, patterns, feelings and responses.