Leo Phoenix Hansen-Bennett
Reddam House
ECHOES OF AUTOMATION
Time-Based Forms
3D software: Blender, C4D, Daz 3D, Adobe After Effects, DaVinci Resolve
In my body of work I examine how digital systems infiltrate our lives, subtly replacing emotion, connection and autonomy with artificial logic and repetition. I used black and white with the intention of representing a world stripped down to its stark essentials, devoid of vibrancy and emotional warmth - a sterile, binary existence where nuance is lost. Moments of visual breakdown convey the psychological and societal dissonances that occur when human rhythm is replaced by artificial systems. I invite the audience to consider how technology seduces with efficiency while quietly dismantling the organic chaos that defines being human.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the artist Ryoji Ikeda.
Marker's Commentary
Echoes of Automation is a time-based film that presents a contrast between natural and urban ecologies. This sophisticated work represents a complex and multi-layered approach to filmmaking through the use of intercutting and montage to build tension. The work utilises postmodern practice through its remixed, superimposed, mirrored, and reconfigured scenes which critique the information-overloaded environments it reveals. Social isolation and technological disconnection from the natural world, symbolised through VR headsets, are recurring motifs throughout the film. The visual language of heavy contrast, shadow, pattern, and repetition is enhanced by film techniques including morphing transitions, meandering tracking shots, jump cuts, and sound effects. These elements are distilled into a highly engaging commentary about the experience of living in an increasingly artificial and disparate world.