Introduction: -
The small Sussex fishing village in which I spent my childhood contained two significant buildings, significant not for their formal qualities, they were both simple cottages, but because one had been the home William Blake the poet, whist the other, Comet Cottage was named for the astronomer Halley. Without being conscious of the fact, I grew up in a cosmos in which the arts and science were intertwined, it has marked my endeavours ever since.
Nigel Helyer a.k.a. Dr Sonique is an independent Anglo-Australian sculptor and sound artist with an international reputation for his large scale sound-sculpture installations, environmental sculpture works, museum interactives and new media projects.
His practice is strongly inter-disciplinary, linking a broad platform of creative practice with scientific research and development in both academic and industrial contexts. His activities include; the development of the Sonic Landscapes”virtual audio reality system in collaboration with Lake Technology (now Dolby Australia) and the ongoing AudioNomad research project in location sensitive Environmental Audio at the School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of New South Wales.
Nigel is an honorary faculty member in Architectural Acoustics at the University of Sydney, a Professorial Visiting Fellow at the school of Computer Science and Engineering at NSW University and is the current ABC Radiophonic Fellow.
He has recently held positions as Visiting Professor at Stanford University, Artist in Residence at the Paul Scherrer Institut in Switzerland and the Marine Mammal Research Laboratory at the National University of Singapore. He maintains active links with The Exploratorium Museum in San Francisco and is an advisor to the SymbioticA biotechnology lab at the University of Western Australia.
Nigel is a co-founder and commissioner of the International SoundCulture organisation. He was a Fellow of the Australia Council for 2002/3, the winner of the Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award in 2002 and curator of Sonic Differences part of the Biennale of Electronic Arts Perth in 2004.
primary websites:
http://www.sonicobjects.com
http://www.magnus-opus.com
http://www.life-boat.org
education: -
DCA - University of Technology Sydney 1997.
MARCA in Environmental Media - The Royal College of Art, London, UK 1979.
BA Honours Sculpture - Liverpool College of Art, UK. 1974.
Foundation Studies - West Sussex College of Design, UK 1971.
selected awards and fellowships: -
• Radiophonic Fellow, ABC National Radio, Sydney 2008/9.
• Artist in Residence, National University of Singapore 2008 (for ISEA2008).
• Artist in Residence, The Exploratorium Museum, San Francisco, May/June 2006.
• Artist in Residence, IASKA, Kellerberrin WA September ~ October 2005.
• Artist in Residence, The Exploratorium Museum, San Francisco, September 2005.
• Artist in Residence, Paul Scherrer Institut, Switzerland in the Artists in Labs programme. 2004/5.
• Australia Council + ARC Industry Linkage award (with University of NSW) 2003.
• VACB Australia Council fellowship for 2002/2003.
• Visiting Research Fellow Stanford University 2003.
• Artist in Residence, SymbioticA, UWA 2002 and 2003.
• Winner, of the Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award 2002.
• Pollock Krasner Foundation award, 2002.
• Artist in Residence, School of the Art Institute of Chicago 2002.
• Artist in Residence, Lake Technology, Sydney 1999 ~ 2001.
• New Media Arts Board Industry Partnership Grant (with Lake Technology) 1999.
• Visiting Artist to the University of Lapland 1997 and 2000.
• Visiting Fellow to The University of Western Sydney 1997.
• NSW Ministry for the Arts (Arts, Design & Industry award) for Create CD Rom, 1996.
• Visiting Fellow to CAIIA, University of Wales 1996.
• Inaugural Visiting Fellow in Fine Arts to Auckland University 1994.
• NSW Ministry for the Arts (Arts, Design & Industry award) for Hybrid CD Rom, 1994.
• Visiting Artist to the Hanoi Institute of Fine Arts 1994.
• VACB Australia Council fellowship in 1992.
• Artist in Residence, Chiang Mai University, Thailand 1991/2 and 1993/4.
• Artist in Residence, Cite Des Arts, Paris 1990.
• Artist in Residence, Kohler Industries, USA 1990.
• Artist in Residence, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts 1989.
• Artist in Residence, San Francisco 1988; San Jose State University 1988;
• The Exploratorium Museum, San Francisco 1988.
• Artist in Residence, Daewoo Heavy Industries, Korea 1988.
• Australia Council - Green St Studio, New York 1988.
• Artist In Residence, Mt Lawley College (now Edith Cowan University) Perth W.A. 1983.
• Artist In Residence, WAIT (now Curtin University) Perth WA, 1983.
environmental works, commissions and the public projects: -
• Commission for Public Art project Geraldton WA 2009.
• Commission for Public Art project Wireless House City of Sydney 2007/8.
• Commission for Public Art project Henderson Marine facility WA 2007.
• Commission for AudioMaze WA Blind Association 2007.
• Commission for Talking Stick at the Exploratorium Museum San Francisco, 2006.
• Commission for Public Art project Lotus, ECU, Perth Western Australia, 2006.
• Participant in the Helen Lempriere Sculpture Award, Melbourne Victoria, 2006.
• Participant in the McClelland Sculpture Exhibition and Award. Victoria 2005.
• Theorem prototype interactive audio sculpture for Paul Scherrer Institut, Switzerland.
• The Syren project, on the cruise liner Opera as part of ISEA2004 Finland.
• The LifeBoat project in Oslo Fjord and on the ‘Opera’ as part of ISEA2004 Finland.
• Everything’s Nice With American Rice, Echigo-Tsumari Triennale, Japan 2003.
• Meta-Diva, Helen Lempriere Sculpture Award (winner) 2002.
• Meta-Diva, 9 Dragon Head Festival Lake Teachong, Korea 1999.
• Commission for Public Art project Dual Nature, City of Sydney Sculpture Walk, 1999.
• Drift, Hull Time Based Arts Hull, UK, October, 1999.
• Ship to Shore for ISEA98 Liverpool, UK 1998.
• Metro-Discipline, Metropolitan Dreams in the Helsinki subway system,1997.
• Audio-retrospective, Muu Media Festival/Finland Telecom, Helsinki, Finland 1996.
• Vox Gryphon, Centennial Park Trust, Sydney, 1995.• The Factory Spirit, Chiang Mai Social Installation Festival 1993.
• An UnRequited Space, intervention/broadcast project for Working in Public, Sydney, 1992.
• Re-Defining Functionalism, University of Technology Sydney 1991.
• Chamber Work commission for the University of San Jose, California, 1988.
• Din-Ding-Dang-Dong commission for Seoul Olympic Park, 1988.
exhibitions: -
• BioSonics ~ Western Plains Museum and Art Gallery, NSW, 2008 Solo exhibition.
• Run Silent Run Deep, National Museum of Singapore, ISEA2008 Solo exhibition in event.
• Host_V5, Transitio_02, Mexico City, 2007 Solo exhibition in event.
• Ars Electronica, (Host_V4 in Symbiotica Group exhibition) Linz, Austria, 2007 Group exhibition.
• Quint de Loup II Tin Sheds Gallery, USYD Sydney 2007 Solo exhibition.
• Syren for Port Jackson with the MCA 2006. Solo/collaborative exhibition in event.
• Who Cares ~ Boutwell Draper Gallery, Sydney, 2006 Group exhibition.
• What Survives ~ The Performance Space, Sydney, 2006. Group exhibition.
• KelleRadioActive ~ IASKA, WA 2005. Solo exhibition.
• Exhibiting in You are here – Entangle Fremantle WA, October 2005. Group exhibition.
• LifeBoat at the Touch Me festival Zagreb 2005. Solo/collaborative exhibition in event.
• Participant in the National Sculpture Prize, Australian National Gallery July 2005. Group exhibition.
• Exhibition in the Kunst Museum Luzern, Switzerland, AiL project, May 2005. Solo in event.
• The Butterfly Effect, The Australian Museum, Sydney 2005. Solo exhibition in event.
• The Naughty Apartment, Moores Building, Fremantle, as part of BEAP2004. Solo exhibition.
• The Naughty Apartment, RMIT Project Space, Melbourne 2003. Solo exhibition.
• Gone to Earth, Boutwell-Draper Gallery Sydney 2003. Solo exhibition.
• NoiseFloor, Stanford University Gallery 2003. Solo exhibition.
• Two or Three things I Know… School of Sound, South Bank, London, 2003. Solo exhibition.
• Host_V3, Auditori CAM, Alicante, 2003. Solo exhibition.
• Host_V2, Metronom Gallery, Barcelona, Spain. 2003. Solo exhibition.
• Seed, the Biennale of Electronic Arts, Perth, 2002. Solo exhibition in event.
• Magnus-Opus, Garage Festival, Straslund, Germany, 2002. Solo exhibition in event.
• Seed, SoundCulture, ASU Gallery, Phoenix Arizona, 2002. 2 Person exhibition.
• Deluge, in the Artist Biennale, as part of the Adelaide Festival 2002. Solo exhibition in event.
• Caliban’s Children, TMAG/Solar Circuit, Hobart, 2002 Group exhibition.
• Caliban’s Children, in CrossTalk, Tin Sheds Gallery, Sydney, 2001. Group exhibition.
• Chant, Buddha; Radiant Awakening exhibition at AGNSW 2001/2. Solo exhibition in event.
• Metamorphoses II, AGNSW during summer 2000/1 Solo exhibition.
• Ariel, in Orbital, CCP, Melbourne, 2000. Solo exhibition in event.
• Ariel, in Orbital, Lux Gallery, London, UK 2000. Solo exhibition in event.
• Transit of Venus, Auckland City New Gallery in SoundCulture 1999. Solo exhibition in event.
• Transit of Venus, Kiasma (New Museum of Modern Art, Helsinki) 1999. Solo exhibition in event.
• Leaven, Palm House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, November 1999. Solo exhibition.
• Metamorphoses, Elizabeth Bay House in Sydney 1997. Solo exhibition in event.
• Din, as part of the Innenseit Projekt, Kassel, 1997. Solo exhibition in event.
• Toll, Galerie Muu, Helsinki 1996. Solo exhibition.
• Silent Forest, National Gallery of Victoria as part of Contempora 5, 1997. Solo exhibition in event.
• Silent Forest, San Francisco Institute of Art, as part of SoundCulture96. Solo exhibition in event.
• Silent Forest Beta, Annandale gallery 1995. Solo exhibition.
• Oracle, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, in Sound in Space 1995. Solo exhibition in event.
• Gyro Diva II, George Fraser Gallery, Auckland 1994. Solo exhibition.
• ReCirculations; A Techno-Poetics, Chiang Mai University Gallery, 1994. 2 Person exhibition.
• ReCirculations; A Techno-Poetics, at Silpakorn University, Bangkok 1993. 2 Person exhibition.
• Gyro/Video, SoundCulture Japan, 1993. Solo exhibition in event.
• Aura, Annandale Gallery 1993. Solo exhibition.
• Gyro Diva, Artspace 1993. Solo exhibition.
• La Zona del Silencio, Mexico and the Biennale of Sydney 1992/93 Solo exhibition in event.
• Siren Song, AGNSW 1992. Solo exhibition.
• Hybrid, USIS Gallery, Chiang Mai, Thailand 1992. Group exhibition.
• The Lament, WINDOW Gallery, SoundCulture Sydney 1991. Solo exhibition in event.
• Tone Buddhas, ABC Ultimo Studio, SoundCulture, Sydney 1991. Solo exhibition in event.
• Mute in TalkTown, The Performance Space, Sydney 1990. Solo exhibition.
• Bell Transfer, Ars Electronica Linz, Austria 1989. Solo exhibition in event.
• Big Bell Beta, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts, WA 1989/1990. Solo exhibition.
• Europa Da Da Dumb, Bicentennial Perspecta Stuttgart Kunstverien 1988. Solo exhibition in event.
• Europa Da Da Dumb, Bicentennial Perspecta Frankfurt Kunstverien 1988. Solo exhibition in event.
• Die Melodie der Welt, Bicentennial Perspecta, AGNSW, Sydney 1987. Solo exhibition in event.
• Et Eritus Sicut Dei, Universtity of Tasmania Gallery 1986. Solo exhibition.
• Preaching to the Coverter, AGNSW Perspecta 1985. Solo exhibition in event.
• Fruits of the Earth…Museum of Western Australia 1984. Solo exhibition.
• Fruits of the Earth…Museum of Western Australia 1984. Solo exhibition.
• Fruits of the Earth…Museum of Western Australia 1984. Solo exhibition.
• All that Glitters; Terra Nullis, NGV Sculpture Triennale 1984. Solo exhibition in event.
• Voyages – Hercules, Portsmouth, UK 1984. Solo exhibition.
• Voyages – Ophichus, Nexus Gallery, Fremantle 1983. Solo exhibition.
• Re-Entry Vehicle, Spectro Gallery, Newcastle-u-Tyne, UK, 1981. Solo exhibition.
• Lieux de Relations, Lyon, France 1981. Solo exhibition.
• Galerie Marina Dinkler, Berlin 1981. Solo exhibition.
broadcast works: -
• Fat Zero, short digital animation for Channel 4/Film 4 (UK screened ~ Channel 4 TV, Rotterdam Film
festival, Watershed, Bristol, GMI screen in Leicester Square, London 2001.
• Regular contributions to the French based Collective Radio and Audio Jukebox.
• En 0 Red 2000 festival of electronic songs, Spain 2000.
• A Transit of Venus (co-produced with Simo Alitalo) for ABC Radio1999.
• A Transit of Venus (co-produced with Simo Alitalo) for YLE Radio Helsinki 1999.
• Ship to Shore, a series of 12 broadcasts for the BBC Liverpool, UK 1998.
• Metamorphoses, for ABC Radio 1997.
• A Silent Forest (with Tony Macgregor) for ABC FM and KPFA Berkley CA 1996.
• La Campana (with Tony Macgregor) for ABC Radio and the Biennale of Sydney 1993.
• La Zona (with Tony Macgregor) for ABC Radio and the Biennale of Sydney 1993.
• An UnRequited Space, Public Sculpture/ABC Broadcast, for Working in Public 1992.
• Semi-Automatic Writing, an Opera for Human and Machine Voices, for ABC Radio1991.
• You can’t speak English to Buddha, for ABC Radio1990.
• Bell Transfer, for ABC Radio 1989.
current and forthcoming projects: -
• Commission for Public Art project Wireless House City of Sydney 2007/8.
• Commission for Public Art project Zephyr Geraldton City Western Australia.
• Commission for Public Art project Macquarie University, Sydney.
infrastructure: -
Nigel has served as a member of the board of: -
• The Performance Space, Sydney, between 1986~!994;
• Artspace, Sydney, between 1994~1996.
• The New Media Arts Board of the Australia Council 2000~2003.
• Board member of the NSW Ministry of Arts (Visual Arts) 2005 ~ 2007.