Musician, industrial designer and contemporary artist, Jay Jermyn continues the trend of our ArtKeeper Artists overachieving.
Motivated to dissect the relationship between digital, natural, and human phenomena, Jay’s work captures the symbiotic rhythm that exists between seemingly disconnected spheres.
Producing a sculptural installation showcasing his unique aesthetic and style, his work is taking him to the Melbourne Design Fair. A showcase of the best collectible contemporary designs, Jay's sculptures will sit alongside work from over 100 Australian Artists.
Check-in with Jay below.
#A little bit from Jay Jermyn
Your Challenge: Summarise the start of your artistic career in 10 words or less.
JJ: Went to a club in a cave in Serbia.
Can you give a brief explanation of how your exploration of the similarities between electronic dance music and nature began? Is there a particular moment that inspired the thought?
JJ: The standard 25-year-old backpacking trip through Europe opened my eyes and mind to the power that electronic music has, the spiritual nature and the collective community that surrounds it. This changed everything in my world from the music I make to the way I navigate the world and as I gradually over the years got deeper into producing music and performing electronic music, I felt the same connections back to my upbringing on Tweed Heads/Coolangatta (Bundjalung) surfing and in the rainforest. There wasn’t a single moment but rather a growing calm and alignment in my life.
Have you discovered any surprises (or challenges) in your exploration thus far?
JJ: I’ve been toying with these concepts for a few years and have found that as my practice moves off the wall and onto the floor in a more sculptural design sense the challenge is to find the nuance in materialising this middle ground and not allowing the work to fall into a naff representation of nature or technology. It’s tricky finding that perfect middle ground but that’s all the fun.
How has HOTA’s ArtKeeper program impacted your creative career in 2021?
JJ: ArtKeeper has genuinely been one of the best things for my career to date. Dedicated time and resources to work on my craft in a supported environment has allowed my ideas and designing to be as resolved as possible. Some very exciting things are in motion for early next year that I can’t say yet but have no doubt that HOTA’s support as an institution has definitely played a part.
Subscribe now for Art in your inbox
News, special offers, events, competitions, and arts & culture updates on the Gold Coast. All the good stuff.