Creating reflective spaces and secular rituals with Matt Warren

Creating New Spaces: Interviews with artists redefining spaces through technology

In this interview, learn how to create immersive atmospheres that evoke self-reflection and emotional engagement in audiences.

This conversation features Matt Warren, an artist, musician, and educator based in Nipaluna/Hobart, whose work has been exhibited internationally in Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the USA, and across Australia.

Matt shares insights into the creative and conceptual processes behind Secular Ritual (selfie), his recent installation at Sawtooth Gallery in Launceston.

Drawing from ancient practices of using reflective surfaces and water for introspection, Matt’s work reimagines these rituals in a contemporary context. Incorporating everyday objects like selfie rings, mirrors, and fizzy water, he creates meditative spaces where participants can pause, reflect, and explore fluid identities.

We also explore how flexible spaces like ARIs (Artist-Run Initiatives) enable experimentation, the role of soundscapes and lighting in shaping immersive experiences, and the lessons Matt has learned from creating open-ended works that encourage personal interpretation.

Listen to this episode to learn about:

• How Matt reimagines ancient rituals using modern tools to craft reflective installations.

• The impact of soundscapes and mood on immersive art experiences.

• The benefits of using flexible spaces like ARIs to refine and experiment with new ideas.

Chapters

(00:00:00) Introduction

(00:03:40) Exploring secular rituals through art and selfie rings

(00:08:31) Exploring sound as a catalyst for visual art creation

(00:11:12) Exploring the concept of Stimmung in German expressionism

(00:11:32) Creating authentic art spaces through flexible installation

(00:15:07) Creating spaces for personal reflection

Matt Warren

Matt Warren is a Nipaluna/Hobart-based electronic media artist, musician, and educator who creates installations, sound art, and single-channel video. His practice explores themes of memory, transcendence, and fluid identities, drawing on influences like psychedelia, hauntology, and digital abstraction to craft evocative, thought-provoking experiences.

As a musician, Matt performs and records electro-acoustic and drone music both as a solo artist and in collaborative projects. His work has been exhibited internationally, including in Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the USA, and across Australia.

Matt teaches sculpture, time-based media, and creative lab units at the University of Tasmania. His contributions extend to public art projects and festivals such as MONA FOMA, Dark MOFO, and The Unconformity.

Links from the podcast

• Visit Matt Warren’s website
• Follow Matt on Instagram
• Visit Sawtooth AIR website
• Follow Sawtooth on ⁠Instagram
• Read Robin’s reflection on this conversation – Rethinking artist’s statements as journeys