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THE HIGGINS BEDFORD:
THE LIGHT AND COLOUR PROJECT

 

The film installation ‘Light and Colour’ was created using a new and innovative approach described as reflecting on art historical painting through the lens of contemporary expanded painting practice. It was funded by the REPF, UKSPF grants, and Arts Council England through a commission from ACE NPO The Higgins Bedford.

 

At the end of 2024, four community groups from Bedford took part in virtual reality (VR) painting workshops I ran at The Higgins Bedford. During the workshops these participant-collaborators were shown how to use the Virtual Reality Meta3 headsets and VR painting software, Multibrush, allowing users to paint together in 3 dimensions using experimental virtual painting tools. Then, reflecting on the artworks exhibited in the ‘Colour and Light’ exhibition at The Higgins Bedford, they group-made a series of virtual abstract paintings in the same immersive space.

To create the ‘Light and Colour’ (2025) film, I edited the virtual abstract paintings, bringing them together into a colourful virtual environment, adjusting the lighting and atmospheric settings. I then filmed these works inside VR using Open Brush software. This process was followed by further post-production, including adding a musical score using a digital keyboard called a Roli seaboard block, and Logic Pro X audio software. I was aiming for a retro-digital feeling, thinking of audio tropes of data processing and early EDM, along with a hint of futuristic dystopia to encourage a sense of the uncanny.

 

This project initiated many successful collaborations, producing a dynamic innovative film installation that engages with new audiences. The virtual paintings were also post-produced as Augmented Reality AR works to be encountered through smart phones triggered by QR codes - below. Photography ©Amina Pagliari and ©Alison Goodyear.

© Alison Goodyear artist 2025
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