Artist
James Voller and Joel Zika

Client
South Side Fesitval, Vic

Location
Frankston Arts Centre

Year
2022

Medium
Projection on custom water arch

Fabricators and partners
Voices of Frankston Choir
Outsider Productions

Saturation is a digital water projection piece developed and produced by digital artist Joel Zika and Collide Public Arts Initiative with Voices of Frankston (VOF) choir. The piece took centre stage at the South Side Festival, a new community festival for those living in and around Melbourne’s Frankston region. 

The work uses a unique system of projection onto water mist to create a real-world augmented reality in the form of images that you can touch and walk amongst. In Saturation, VOF choir members’ faces appear on the cascading wall of water, creating a transparent three-dimensional interpretation of the choir's work to accompany their audio. To capture the necessary images and audio of the choir, Joel and Collide worked closely with VOF over a period of several months. By highlighting these choir members and presenting the piece at the South Side Festival, Collide was able to platform the faces and voices of a community not typically afforded a presence in the art world. This beautifully mirrors the objective of the VOF itself, which is a community choir that prides itself on offering marginalised members of the Frankston community a place to enjoy music and friendship. 

The importance of Saturation and the South Side Festival as a whole is made even more poignant when you consider the impact that the pandemic had on the VOF. During this time, performances were halted and choir members couldn't spend time together. Many choir members faced health concerns, which necessitated extra caution. The South Side Festival is therefore one of the first opportunities the choir has had to reconnect, making it a deeply impactful occasion. 

Saturation is a celebration of this community, its diverse members, and their impact on the Frankston area.

Videography and Documentary by Michael Bird of Outsider Productions