The National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra, Australia has opened a new one-of-a-kind exhibit, providing visitors with the opportunity to ‘play’ and remix the music of Gotye. 

Fractured Heart is an interactive sound and light sculpture designed and built by illuminart (Cindi Drennan, Craig Laurendet and Luku Kukuku) in collaboration with Wally de Backer (Gotye). It was first presented as the backdrop to his live performance of Somebody That I Used to Know featuring Kimbra at the 2011 ARIA Awards. 

During this original performance, the sculpture featured animated pixel mapping based on the music video for the song. Further development led to an interactive version showcased at the VIVID festival 2012 Light Walk in the Rocks NSW, where thousands of people from all walks of life played this ‘light harp’. 

“We are excited to present this unique and beautiful sculpture in the National Film and Sound Archive’s Canberra headquarters’ says NFSA CEO Michael Loebenstein. ‘It allows visitors to playfully engage with Gotye’s music, allowing them to ‘remix’ Somebody That I Used to Know in real-time, using their bodies to trigger sounds and light animations.”

“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 Wally de Backer’s / Gotye’s interdisciplinary creative approach, of the journey of his chart-topping song from the 2011 ARIA Awards to his upcoming Australian tour, and of illuminart’s highly innovative artistic output combining sculpture, performance, and intermedia art”.

Fractured Heart will be open to NFSA visitors from 1 December, for a period of at least six months.