Enter Tara Pattenden's world of fantastical creatures and musical play. Plush tentacles sprout from the wall, with a soft squeeze you can activate them as musical instruments. Friendly monsters with hands for feet become your companions, travelling in a procession on the opposite wall. As you journey through Tara's work, abandon the real world and reach into an imagined realm.
Inspired by arcade games and carnival aesthetics, Tara envisages a world of creative freedom. The alluring tentacles are intended to be a little bit funny and a little bit naughty. These otherworldly limbs are sensitive to touch and when handled, activate synthesised sounds via conductive thread. When multiple people interact with the work, a discordant orchestra comes to life. Tara aspires toward a new form of musical expression where there is no instructive score or harmonic structure, only open-ended exploration.
Tara's work often combines handmade elements with technology such as 3D printing, automatic and digital drawing, and programming. Her background in theatre and sound performance is evident in her participatory installations.
