UNSW Luminocity 2021

Luminocity 2021 is a fully virtual and online exhibition designed and developed by Abstract8 in collaboration with curators Dr. Ainslie Murray and Dr. Cathy Smith from the UNSW School of Built Environment.

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Luminocity is a major annual exhibition that showcases a selection of undergraduate student work from the UNSW School of the Built Environment. This exhibition represents a conscious departure from conventional relationships between physical and virtual exhibitions, reflecting our commitment to innovative design through creative practice. The virtual exhibition is designed to accompany a physical installation in the UNSW Red Centre Gallery. These mutually evocative environments are designed to create curiosity as the audience explores a series of atmospheric elemental spaces. Fields of fog, tunnels of light, and pools of water subtly reference our unique harbour city while inviting viewers to discover the exhibition content. Playful fireflies suggest possible routes through the online show, and an ambient soundtrack by Zane Trow evokes watery landscapes. In both its physical and virtual forms, Luminocity 2021 presents a new mode of exhibition practice that not only profiles a remarkable collection of exhibited works but also provokes creative responses to navigating space.

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The collection of works in Luminocity includes recent drawings, videos, models, interviews, and essays made by students across seven disciplines within the School of the Built Environment. These works are assembled to convey a collective critical response to contemporary urban, social, and environmental issues, and together they celebrate the immense creativity and diversity of the school. The unique voices of students, staff, and alumni come to the fore as we trace individual trajectories through key experiences in our undergraduate degrees. From small-scale products to large-scale plans, the works in the exhibition collectively reveal the ambition to foster graduates who make meaningful and impactful work that actively shapes our future environments.