Four Tet performs in the midst of a Squidsoup light installation in 2019 (all performance images on this page used courtesy of Rikard
Österlund/Squidsoup)

Four Tet performs in the midst of a Squidsoup light installation in 2019 (all performance images on this page used courtesy of Rikard Österlund/Squidsoup)

An artistic collective that creates innovative and immersive light-based experiences is preparing for a series of sell-out performances at iconic venues in the UK and United States.
Squidsoup is an international group of artists, researchers, technologists and designers, and Professor Chris Bennewith , Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts Humanities and Business at the University of Plymouth has had the opportunity to work with them for over 20 years.
In May this year, they will again be working alongside electronic music pioneer Four Tet to create a unique audio/visual experience for audiences in Los Angeles, New York and London.
The collaboration has been working together since 2015, and previously joined forces for performances at the Sydney Opera House, the Manchester International Festival and other venues across the world.
In 2019, Squidsoup created its largest ever light installation which was enjoyed by audiences during two sold out concerts at London’s Alexandra Palace.
The work consisted of a 30 metre by 30metre volume of lights, comprising over 40,000 individually addressable points of light, with both Four Tet and members of the audience immersed within the space.
That striking spectacle – rated by some critics as the best live performance they had ever been to – will be replicated in the upcoming performances, with lights and sound working in tandem.
The shows will take place at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, Avant Gardner in Brooklyn and the Alexandra Palace in London.
Professor Chris Bennewith
Professor Chris Bennewith
Professor Bennewith said:
“We have designed a toolkit that allows us to respond to what Four Tet is creating in real time, which means that no audience will ever have the same experience.”
"Nowadays, audiences are expecting a lot more from a live performance and the blending of digital innovation with live experiences means we are in a great position to provide them with it.”
Professor Bennewith has spent several decades working on interactive digital technology, first as a graphic designer in industry and then as a researcher.
He is currently working with colleagues in the University’s Faculty of Health to explore its potential to positively impact those with mental health and autism-related conditions. He added:
“As technology continues to advance, the immersive space is really creating opportunities for us. We are at the early stages of seeing whether such innovation could have a positive effect on those with neurological conditions. It opens an exciting new avenue of the arts and health working in tandem to make a lasting difference to people’s lives.”
Four Tet performs in the midst of a Squidsoup light installation in 2019 (image used courtesy of Rikard Österlund/Squidsoup)
Four Tet performs in the midst of a Squidsoup light installation in 2019 (image used courtesy of Rikard Österlund/Squidsoup)

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