Jake Logos: Reimaging Reality

What made you want to apply for Make Believe Dream Create in Macclesfield?

I’ve been looking for a space to test and film some installation work. Council Arts Officer Sally Hardy mentioned this idea to me at the ‘Poetry Slam’ night at Three Brothers Arms and this building has always caught my eye whenever I drive through town. My previous studio was the old Cobb & Co stables in Woodside and my current one is a big cold modern shed - maybe I’ve just missed being in an old building.

Your project Gnosis is a multi-sensory experience blending dance with projection and sound. Tell us more about what you’re creating and the journey you want to take people on.

The nature of reality. I know that sounds vague but it’s the most fascinating subject. The visible light spectrum. Perception itself. I love traditional mediums but new digital mediums are really starting to blur the line of perception and I like exploring that space.

Gnosis is a Greek word that speaks to knowledge and spirituality. How do those themes apply to what you’re creating?

Gnosis is the title of the development phase of a project I’m building for Create SA; something I’ve been working on for some time. I’ve been trying to find correlations between my own Greek ancestry. My great-grandfather Logos was one of the first Greek settlers in the Riverland and I’ve been looking at how this connects to First Nations cultures. There are stories about his very positive experiences with First Nations people and the beliefs and ideas he passed down to my grandfather and onwards. I’ve had the opportunity to talk with several Kaurna Elders about themes I’m deeply interested in. The conversation around reconciliation and how we listen to and learn from Indigenous culture remains one of the most important in Australia, and the insights from those discussions will naturally weave their way into the work.

You’re collaborating with sound designer Dr Sebastian Tomczak, Dancenorth Artistic Director Kyle Page and costume design studio Vigilantia Australia. What does collaboration offer that solo work doesn’t?

The slingshot theory: collaboration has the potential to shoot further and find opportunities for unexpected improvements and developments. These people are geniuses in their fields and  I’m lucky to have them in orbit. They each bring years of expertise and insight which adds depth, layering and perspective to the work.

What does having a space like The Stable mean for your artistic output?

It’s about a conscious shift from planning, drawing and ideas to actually making and sharing. Right now, I don’t have a dedicated space to test or present these new ideas. The Stable allows me to do that for a concentrated period.

What’s it like being a professional artist in regional South Australia? What are the challenges and opportunities?

It’s definitely not easy. A lot of the creative act is actually in the hustle but,in the last few years, my work and ideas have been very generously supported by Arts SA, Create SA, Country Arts SA, the Alexandrina Council and now the Mount Barker Council. For that, I’m truly grateful.

What do you hope to achieve at the end of your six-week residency?

I want to get some core ideas out of my head and sketchbook and into the room. I’ll be testing different projection surfaces and techniques.

Each residency will end with the artist sharing their work with the community. What do you have planned?

This planned work can stand alone as an interactive installation. In the final phase, I’ll have the workflow set up and open for interaction for anyone who wants to come and see what we’re doing.

Council’s aim is to create a strong and sustainable arts sector. Why are the arts important?

This is a huge topic. I think we need to create the conditions that allow the arts to contribute in the way they should. The Stable idea is part of that model that needs to grow. For me, working with and helping to shape accessibility around emerging technology is a way of preparing for a shift we can clearly see happening across all industries. We are going to need creative thinking and more human expression.

Which artwork, across all artforms, do you wish you created and why?

Maybe something by cartoonist Gary Larson. He somehow distilled authentic personal style and the collective unconscious into single cell works of comic genius.

Members of the community are invited to The Stable between 10am and 4pm on Monday 9 September to meet Jake and see what he’s been working on during his residency.

Images courtesy of Jacob Logos/Beacon Studios