Phd Research project

Creative Statement – Megan Roodenrys I am a visual artist exploring the intricate interconnectedness of humans, technology, and nature. My practice has evolved from traditional media—painting, printmaking, and sculpture—into an experimental, research-driven approach that integrates new media and emerging technologies. A pivotal moment in my creative journey was my Honours research, where I became captivated by why certain fractal patterns evoke powerful, calming responses in viewers. Fractals, with their never-ending complexity, are deeply embedded in our natural world, and our brains seem wired to respond to midrange fractal structures, often found in landscapes and biological forms. My research led me into neuroaesthetics, particularly the concept of “fractal fluency,” which suggests that our visual system has evolved to process these patterns with ease. This fascination with perception and response mechanisms led to an exploration of technology and digital media art. I began incorporating sensors and interactive technologies into my work to explore how human and nonhuman entities engage with their surroundings. One of my key works, Adjacent (2022), is an interactive digital environment featuring projected, digitally sculpted branching forms that respond to viewers’ movements. As participants navigate the space, light projections mirror their gestures, dissolving the boundary between observer and artwork. My practice is informed by new materialist philosophy, particularly the work of Karen Barad and Vicky Kirby, which challenges the notion of separate entities and instead views the world as a dynamic, entangled network. This perspective aligns with my artistic exploration of life forms that perceive, think, and interact in ways beyond human sensory capabilities—whether through electrical, seismic, magnetic, or auditory signals. In these nonhuman worlds of experience, what is invisible to humans may be tangible, while what seems solid to us could be imperceptible to other beings. To investigate these ideas further, my work integrates interactive digital sculptures with 3D printing, programmed electronics, and sensors. These sculptures detect and respond to human presence and to each other, making the imperceptible tangible for human audiences. By challenging traditional notions of human centrality, my work invites reflection on the blurred boundaries between species, technology, and environment. A key area of my research explores how living organisms sense and respond to their environments. For example, microbes navigate their surroundings using chemical and electrical signals, while slime molds make collective decisions before reconfiguring themselves as a single entity. These biological processes inspire my use of sensors and interactive elements to mimic the perception and response mechanisms of natural organisms. Ultimately, my work aims to provoke reflection on the entangled nature of our world—how everything is interconnected. Through interactive sculptures and digital installations, I invite viewers to not only see but also experience these relationships. My creative practice operates within an iterative research methodology that interweaves practice-led and practice-based inquiry. Each cycle of making and theorizing informs the next, shaping a dynamic process of exploration and discovery. Artistic practice itself is a form of knowledge production. By bridging science, philosophy, and creative practice, my work encourages viewers to rethink their relationship with the natural world—challenging them to consider the unseen, the entangled, world we are a part of.