Traditional art exhibitions will be taking a backseat at the Aliwal Urban Art Festival 2015. In its place will be a reactive wall art installation conjured by local artist Mojoko and programmer Shang Liang.

Local artist Mojoko (Steve Lawler) will be showcasing art of a different form at the Aliwal Urban Art Festival 2015. Together with Shang Liang, a programmer from WE/WEAR/GLASSES, the duo will be presenting a Reactive Wall art installation that puts together over 200 pop culture images. Visitors can expect graphic animations that are triggered when they make specific sounds, like a scream or a whistle. We speak to Mojoko to find out more.

How did the idea of the Reactive Wall come about?
There was an empty room with lots of carpet and windows which did not leave much space to hang artworks like a regular art show. Since it was designed as a music room, we decided to play to its strengths, and a sound installation was the way to go.

You will be teaming up with Shang Liang, a programmer. Have you worked with him before and what talents/skills does he bring to the table?
Shang is a regular collaborator and we have worked on projects together for several years.He is the genius of creative coding. He creates the engine of the installation, and we work together to decide how to skin it so the technology feels fun and approachable.

Some of the characters you will see at the installation

How much time did Shang and you spend planning and executing your art installation?
We took three weeks to develop the new code and images.

What pop culture characters can we expect to see at the installation?
You can expect to see a mash up of lots of cult films. We are experimenting with interactive video, so this is very new for us.

What makes the Aliwal Urban Art Festival 2015 such a draw for people?
It’s the first glimmer of street art rising through from underground up to the surface. I am keen to see Wicked Aura; it’s always a spectacle to see and hear the multi-genre music collective.

Be sure to check out the Reactive Wall art installation at Aliwal Urban Arts Centre’s Music Studio 1, this Saturday, January 17th, from 5pm onwards.

More information on Aliwal Urban Art Festival 2015 here.