We acknowledge Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and give respect to their Elders, past and present.

Read our Statement of Reflection

Your Cart

Your cart is empty right now...

Discover what's on
Your Stuff
Lists
No lists found
Create list
List name
0 Saved items
Updated: a few seconds ago
Getting Started
Get started with Your Stuff

A free Your Stuff account allows you to save, list and share your favourite collection items and articles. This account will give you access to Your Stuff, NFSA Player and Pro. You will need to create an additional account for Canberra event tickets.

Confirm
People search for
TRENDING

Looking for the full catalogue? Search the Catalogue

Skip to main content
National Film and Sound Archive of AustraliaNational Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
National Film and Sound Archive
National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
National Film and Sound Archive
Articles

Fractured Heart at the NFSA

Interactive sound and light sculpture

The NFSA exhibition gallery is home to the newest incarnation of 'Fractured Heart', an interactive sound and light sculpture and collaboration between singer-songwriter Gotye and illuminart.

Written by Stephen Groenewegen
29 April, 2013
2 minute read

A one-of-a-kind multimedia interactive provides visitors to the NFSA with the opportunity to remix Gotye’s hit singles ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ and ‘State of the Art’.

Fractured Heart is an interactive sound and light sculpture designed and built by illuminart in collaboration with Gotye (Wouter ‘Wally’ de Backer). It was first presented as the backdrop to his live performance of ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ with Kimbra at the 2011 ARIA Awards (see photo gallery below). The sculpture used mapped animated projections based on the music video that changed in time with Gotye’s performance.

Following the ARIA Awards, illuminart redesigned Fractured Heart as a stand-alone interactive light and sound sculpture for Vivid Sydney – A Festival of Light, Music & Ideas, in 2012. People could now interact with this ‘light harp’ sculpture through physical movement, using their body and hand gestures to remix sound loops and mapped projections.

It is the redesigned Fractured Heart that is now installed at the NFSA. According to NFSA CEO Michael Loebenstein:

'Fractured Heart is not only a poetic and fun way to engage with music, sounds and light animation. It is also important as a ‘living’ document of Gotye’s interdisciplinary creative approach, and of illuminart’s highly innovative artistic output combining sculpture, performance, and intermedia art'.

Fractured Heart

Fractured Heart at the 2011 ARIA Awards. Courtesy of Phil Bower
Illuminart's Craig Laurendet and NFSA CEO Michael Loebenstein with Fractured Heart. Courtesy of Darren Weinert
Fractured Heart at Vivid Sydney – A Festival of Light, Music & Ideas, 2012. Courtesy of Wally de Backer (Gotye) and Illuminart
Fractured Heart installation at NFSA
Craig Laurendet’s orginal sketches for Fractured Heart. Courtesy of Wally de Backer (Gotye) and Illuminart
Fractured Heart design by Illuminart. Courtesy of Wally de Backer (Gotye) and Illuminart
Fractured Heart maquette. Courtesy of Wally de Backer (Gotye) and Illuminart
Fractured Heart digital image. Courtesy of Wally de Backer (Gotye) and Illuminart
Fractured Heart digital numbered topography. Courtesy of Wally de Backer (Gotye) and Illuminart
Fractured Heart left and right sound zones. Courtesy of Wally de Backer (Gotye) and Illuminart
Illuminart's Craig Laurendet making Fractured Heart frame. Courtesy of Wally de Backer (Gotye) and Illuminart
Fractured Heart with human silhouette. Courtesy of Wally de Backer (Gotye) and Illuminart

Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’, performed with singer Kimbra, has sold more than 10,000,000 copies worldwide and is already one of the highest selling digital singles of all time. The accompanying music video was directed by Natasha Pincus and, to date, has been viewed on YouTube more than 350,000,000 times.

In April 2013, Gotye updated Fractured Heart and uploaded a second song for visitors to remix, the track ‘State of the Art’ from the Making Mirrors album.

illuminart are led by Australian multimedia artist Cindi Drennan and designer-sculptor Craig Laurendet. Trevor Collict and animator Luku Kukuku assisted with the installation of Fractured Heart at the NFSA. Learn more about illuminart’s work on Fractured Heart at the illuminart website.

Gotye launched Fractured Heart at the NFSA on 15 February 2013.

More by Stephen

Collections to explore

  • Gotye

  • Billy Williams

  • Nick Cave

  • Start your own collection

    A free Your Stuff account allows you to save, organise and share your favourite videos, audio and stories.

More in Stories+

Personalized your experience

Save, create and share

With NFSA Your Stuff