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Abandoned Memories
Martin Madrid
STUDENT'S ARTWORK
ARTIST STATEMENT
I was inspired by the changing rural landscape of Japan, as people leave their countryside homes behind as they move closer towards the major cities. Aside from the declining economic causes, the changing world of natural disasters is a contributing factor towards the depopulation of Japan鈥檚 abandoned ghost towns. Rural residents have expressed a sense of hopelessness living in disaster-prone areas, with one stating to the media that he 鈥渃ouldn't face starting all over knowing that the same thing might happen again鈥; a sentiment shared across coastal communities after the infamous 2011 T艒hoku earthquake.听 Using this theme, I crafted an interactive environment that uses a miniature diorama aesthetic to depict an abandoned Japanese town. The user is situated in the perspective of a person who was forced to move away from their rural home, looking back in time through the model they had created to evoke their treasured childhood memories. This aesthetic was influenced by contemporary artists and hobbyists who use miniature models to construct environments, driven by a deep-seated sense of nostalgia and a longing for order and logic. These artists often create familiar objects and scenes, using them as a means to retain and reshape memories.
Artwork medium: Unity Game Engine
ARTIST INTRODUCTION
Throughout my journey as a media artist, one piece of advice has always stuck out to me; 鈥淭he effort behind your digital work will go unnoticed by many.鈥 Despite this dissuasion, I鈥檝e continued to pursue my 鈥渄evil is in the details鈥 philosophy with each project, motivating me to continuously advance my complementary technical and artistic skills to ensure quality in the smallest of details. Specialising in the studio disciplines of 3D Visualisation and Animation, I intend to craft captivating scenes that leave a lasting and meaningful impression on the viewer. My background in computer science and media arts continues to drive my aspirations to learn, educate and experiment in the advancing field of cutting-edge computer graphics to provide artists with the tools to share their stories with tomorrow's world.
Acknowledgement of Country
UNSW School of Art & Design stands on an important place of learning and exchange first occupied by the Bidjigal and Gadigal peoples.
We acknowledge the Bidjigal and Gadigal peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land that our students and staff share, create and operate on. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend this respect to all First Nations peoples across Australia. Sovereignty has never been ceded.
