Challenge Your Own Awareness At ‘Mouths of Illusion: Beyond the Machine’

This March, the Bondi Pavilion will host Mouths of Illusion: Beyond the Machine. This mesmerising, immersive installation delves into the complexities of each of our personal identities, and how they’ve been shaped in our modern, technology-driven world. 

Conceived over nine years by Sydney-based artist Nick Frost and New Zealand’s Nick Kealey, Beyond the Machine first premiered at the 2020 New Zealand Fringe Festival. 

The works in this installation are the result of profound experiences for both Frost and Kealey. This includes Frost’s forty-year journey with yoga and meditation, and a near-death experience in 2000 due to paralysis. The complex personal and artistic journey of Kealey was tragically cut short  – the talented artist passed away just one week before the 2020 NZ production of this show. Frost recently collaborated with leading Australian designer Dan Potra, to develop the installation ever further. 

The installation critiques the relentless pursuit of manufactured optimism in contemporary society, where identities are often shaped by commodified narratives and instant gratification. 

Mouths of Illusion: Beyond The Machine asks ‘who is the actual experiencer?’, aiming to uncover the borderless, timeless presence of our awareness – our true and lasting identity.

Through a fusion of postmodern deconstruction, lyrical poetry, satiric pop art and more, it challenges viewers to confront the superficial constructs of modern rationalism and the pervasive influence of media.

At this free exhibition, visitors have the unique opportunity to experience a rich, dynamic tapestry of poetic and provocative texts, large-scale videos, sculptures, and immersive soundscapes. These elements collectively evoke the dominance of language and imagery in shaping our perceptions, urging a deeper reflection on the nature of identity and the societal forces that mold it.

“A random item or phrase or gesture may spark enquiry into the presence of a hidden Real: that is, ‘ourself as borderless wholeness’,” the event describes. “We thereby sift a bit of gold… letting the installation become an unlikely temple for communication.”

Open Door Productions has been instrumental in bringing the artists’ vision to life. Under the direction of Gabrielle Gazal, the team has ensured that the installation remains accessible to a wide audience, offering a space for contemplation and dialogue.

Mouths of Illusion: Beyond the Machine is more than an exhibition; it is an invitation to embark on a journey of introspection and discovery. Visitors are encouraged to question the narratives that define them, and to seek a deeper understanding of who they truly are, beyond the constructs of modern society.

Mouths of Illusion: Beyond the Machine
1 – 15 March | 10am – 9pm every day
Bondi Pavilion – Yalagang Room

Find more information here.