Endless play at ACMI this winter: Beings by Universal Everything now open

ENDLESS PLAY AT ACMI THIS WINTER: BEINGS BY UNIVERSAL EVERYTHING NOW OPEN

ACMI’s playful world premiere exhibition Beings, by international art and design collective Universal Everything (UE), is now open until 6 October 2024.

Featuring 13 vibrant, life-affirming artworks projected at scale, Beings invites visitors to move, dance and play with curious characters born from code. Created from ever-evolving algorithms, many of the artworks grow and change in real-time, responding differently to each visitor, every time they visit.

The exhibition is complemented by a suite of joyful public programs over winter: loosen up at a participatory dance event by Deep Soulful Sweats, indulge in music, performance and play at ACMI Nights, upskill at an expert talk, and have fun with the family at free play-and-learn workshops for kids.

For 20 years, UE has crafted new and soulful forms of moving image by subverting cinematic CGI, physics simulations and real-time gaming graphics – technologies typically used by Hollywood studios and videogame makers. Their colourful, digital artworks always start with a single hand-drawn line; for the first time anywhere in the world, these sketches are on display in Beings.

ACMI Director & CEO Seb Chan said: “Universal Everything are unique in the art and design space, championing screen technology that uplifts, enchants and delights. Their generative works generate endless joy – and will bring smiles to everyone in the winter months ahead. Bring the whole family for a day of play at ACMI.”

Universal Everything Founder Matt Pyke said: “We’ve enjoyed collaborating with ACMI’s curatorial team to create a show we hope demonstrates our passion for the potential of today’s technology to bring beauty, positivity, play and experimentation to audiences of all ages. Beings brings together several strands of our artistic practice including our studies of ‘future humans’, collective behaviour, and the natural world. Our largest show to date documents our journey to create bold new forms of moving image which connect to all of us, inspiring curiosity, and delight. We’re very excited to see Melbourne audiences interact with the results.”

UE’s Interactive Creative Director, Joel Gethin Lewis, will give a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of Beings at a talk presented as part of Melbourne Design Week, at ACMI on 24 May 2024. Having worked with brands, bands and organisations from NGOs to U2, he’ll share his innovative insights and approach to beneficial – and beautiful – design, and respond to audience questions in an extended Q&A.

Explore Beings after-dark on 13 June at a party merging live music, performance, food and drinks in partnership with RISING. Hosted by the incomparable Betty Grumble, ACMI Nights: Beings will bring together local DJs, vintage videogames, a performance choreographed by Harrison Ritchie-Jones, and a dress-up station featuring playsuits by artist Samantha Thompson, for a serious night of play.

Dance the night away on 25 July at Deep Soulful Sweats, a participatory event led by local dance artists Sarah Aiken and Rebecca Jensen. The spontaneous ‘follow the leader’ style choreography will take visitors through the exhibition, offering a surprising new perspective on its fantastical beings.

Curious young minds can learn more about the exhibition’s themes and concepts in a free, guided play-based experience, ACMI Preschoolers. Running on the third Friday of every month, this interactive program is a fun way for children aged two to five years to enjoy ACMI with their parent, grandparent or carer. For older kids, education resources are available to support a Primary or Secondary school excursion focusing on character design, imaginative writing, and playful creative arts activities.

UE was founded in 2004 by Creative Director Matt Pyke. Beginning in his garden studio in Sheffield, England, UE has grown into a global network of architects, engineers, designers, cinematographers, animators, musicians and developers. The collective has exhibited their distinctive works around the world, from Seoul to New York, London and beyond. Their collaborations include generative audio-visual apps with Radiohead, interactive spaces with Zaha Hadid Architects, future R&D with Apple and exhibitions at esteemed cultural institutions including La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris, ZkM Karlsruhe and London’s V&A.

The soundtrack for Beings, Music for Beings by Simon Pyke is now available on all digital platforms including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.

Beings is now open until 6 October in ACMI’s Gallery 4. Tickets are priced from $7. For further details visit acmi.net.au.

Beings is proudly supported by Major Technology Partner Panasonic,

Major Research Partner RMIT University and Supporting Partners City of Melbourne and Sofitel Melbourne On Collins.

Thanks to Haymes Paint for generously providing the Ultra Premium Eggshell paint featured in Beings.

Joel Gethin Lewis in Conversation is supported by Bloomberg and is part of Melbourne Design Week 2024, an initiative of the Victorian Government in collaboration with the NGV.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

• Images, GIFs, video files and a press pack are available to download here.
• For further media enquiries contact Stephanie.payne@acmi.net.au.

Listings Information

Beings
22 May – 6 October 2024
Gallery 4, ACMI, Fed Square, Melbourne
acmi.net.au

Tickets: $7 - $20.

Full tickets $20 with substantial discounts for under 35s, concession, students, ACMI Members, school groups and under 16s. Children Under 4 and Blak Members are FREE. To book visit acmi.net.au.

Related Exhibition Programming

ACMI Nights: Beings

Thurs 13 June 2024, 7pm – 11pm
Gallery 4 & Flinders St Lightwell, ACMI
Tickets $30 - $35

Joel Gethin Lewis in Conversation
Fri 24 May 2024, 6–7pm
Swinburne Studio
Tickets from $5

Deep Soulful Sweats
Thurs 25 July 2024, 6pm & 7.30pm
Gallery 4 & Flinders St Lightwell, ACMI
Tickets from $23 – $30

ACMI Preschoolers
3rd Friday of the month (Fri 19 July, Fri 16 August, Fri 20 September), 10.30am
Gandel Digital Future Lab 1, Level 1, ACMI
Tickets FREE
Purchase a ticket to Beings to extend and build on your visit.

ABOUT ACMI
ACMI is your museum of screen culture. Watch, play, make and discover the universe of screen-based art, films, TV and videogames. Visit us in Melbourne’s Fed Square, online and on tour. Our museum attracts millions of visitors through a vibrant offer of exhibitions, screenings, commissions and festivals. ACMI’s industry, education and creative incubator programs inspire and develop the next generation of screen creatives. We are a globally recognised hub that connects people, communities, technology and ideas to shape our futures. More at acmi.net.au

ABOUT UNIVERSAL EVERYTHING
Universal Everything is a collective of media artists, experience designers and future makers, established in 2004. A life affirming, future positive, audience focused approach spans their artworks, brand collaborations and prototypes. Using emerging display technologies as their canvas, the studio creates digital experiences that subvert cinematic CGI, physics simulations and real-time generative design to create new forms of moving image, interaction and immersive spaces. The studio has exhibited solo shows at V&A London,180 Strand and Science Museum London, La Gaite Lyrique Paris and Borusan Contemporary Istanbul. Group shows include those at MOMA New York, Sundance Film Festival and The Barbican, London. Universal Everything artworks have been added to the permanent collections of organisations including ZKM, Thoma Foundation, Borusan Contemporary and Sifang Art Museum. More at www.universaleverything.com