An experimental art installation Aethera, now on display at GMBB creative mall in Kuala Lumpur, invites viewers to become co-creators by harnessing the power of their thoughts.
Prepare to clear your mind and dive into an "art experience" that reacts to your mental state. Presented as part of the Immersio 2024 showcase with new media collective Filamen, Aethera highlights electroencephalography (EEG) technology, with a creative and interactive twist.
The installation – located in the Media Art Gallery on Level 3 of GMBB until Feb 2, 2025 – is the creation of Mohamad Nazrin, widely known as Vasflow, a Petaling Jaya-based new media artist whose journey has evolved from acrylic-on-canvas works to immersive digital art.
An architecture graduate from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia KL, Vasflow explores the interplay between mind and machine, translating intangible mental states into vivid visual narratives.
“This journey of life and death in search of true meaning led me to discover Aethera through deep meditation,” says Vasflow, 30, who found inspiration for this work after the loss of his mother. His creations reflect on memory, love, and the healing process through grief.
“Meditation drives me to share both scientific measurements and personal, subjective experiences. By using EEG to scan real-time brain activity, Aethera becomes a living experiment – an interactive reflection where generative audio and visuals respond directly to the data. It is, quite literally, a mirror of the mind,” adds the Kedah-born artist, who primarily utilises TouchDesigner to create immersive digital experiences.
The Aethera experience may take place in a small exhibition space, but its impact is anything but modest.
Visitors can witness their mental states visualised as moving particles – the faster your thoughts race, the more frenetic the motion. Achieve a calm mind, and the installation mirrors this serenity with tranquil, zen-like visuals.
"Aethera reflects the inner workings of the mind, aiming to raise awareness about mental well-being. By transforming EEG data – captured from brain activity – into visual forms, I invite viewers to look inward, observe their thoughts and emotions, and ultimately learn to let them go," says Vasflow.
Vasflow's showcase at GMBB is the culmination of his journey at the Filamen Media Art Residency in KL this year.
He has exhibited his work around Malaysia, including at Immersio and KLAF (Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival).
