Through a series of connected works, INVISIBLE shines a light on Found’s research-based studio practice. Employing neuroscientific insights, we reveal there’s more to materials, products and subjects than meets the eye.
INVISIBLE might seem an odd word for a studio like Found, given our outputs are purely visual, however, there are many parts to our process that sit out of sight. We’re known for our visual craft and innovation in the 3D motion design world, so to step into an exhibition format is, on one hand, different and challenging but, on the other, an excellent opportunity for us to reveal more about our approach.
What do we do, how do we go about it, and what can we achieve beyond creating imagery and animation?”
Before we get into the details, let’s look at what the exhibition is aiming to unlock in making the invisible visible.
By looking closer, we’re getting into the fundamentals of our studio practice, revealing invisible aspects of the tools and techniques we use and the explorations we undertake. Our research-based approach enables us to visualise more than just real-world objects and forms; it also gives visual life to abstract concepts and ideas.
By exploring different viewpoints and depictions, we can reveal intangible things such as our senses, flavour notes, scent signatures and feelings.
We’re bombarded by visual material daily, and not just externally. We also visualise new worlds internally as we think and let our minds wander. Whatever the stimulus, it travels along the same wiring into our brains to be processed. So, by bringing the other senses into play, we can expand our visual experience.
Five base forms, representing Form, Magnification, Lighting, Emotion & Sensation & Pillar Microscope, 19th Century
Results that create richer inner representations can engage with what we feel as much as what we see.”
By looking closer, we’re joining a long and illustrious history of human desire to magnify and see more. Intrigue and invention have given birth to a timeline of apparatus for getting closer than is possible with the naked eye alone.
Looking glasses, jeweller’s loupes, compound microscopes, telescopes, zoom lenses, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI scanners, space observatories, VR headsets… the list continues to grow.
There are other forms of ‘getting closer’ aside from ground glass and technological advances. We can get close to a subject simply through research. We can immerse ourselves through investigations into people, places, organic matter or engineered products and analytical data.
This perfectly represents the two sides of our guiding principle, 'Intelligent Beauty'.”
Beautiful imagery, animation and content are made possible through research and craft. By fully understanding something, not only can we realise it visually, but also challenge our perception of it.
Making and preparing work for a series of spaces sees us call upon our usual sequential, narrative-based approach. However, in addition, we’re also thinking about the journey our audience will take through the work, which offers us a new set of tools to consider.
We’ve created five base forms, and each complex piece demonstrates the individual aspects of our craft. As a starting point, these forms are void of environment, texture, colour and all the attributes we bring to our projects. They’re blank pages ready to go.
The first three showcase form, finish and fabrication, materiality, magnification and illumination. The final two forms bring the invisible worlds of emotional response and sensorial combinations to life.
The exhibition covers a broad spectrum of journeys into the unseen aspects of our creative practice and the impact, depth and variety they bring to the results.
Space one, a large-scale AV projection
These explorations span the two spaces. The first space features a large-scale AV projection consisting of five chapters. The second, more intimate space, sees a series of custom-made digital specimen tables present miniature samples of our work. These map out our creative paths and offer fleeting glimpses into the decision-making processes.
We’re proud to open our doors in this way and to life the lid on what we do in a format that offers fresh perspectives.
Space two, digital specimen tables
Want to keep reading?
Explore our most recent feature in Creative Review here:
See the invisible, how CG animation brings the intangible world to life
