Fractured Heart at the NFSA

A one-of-a-kind multimedia interactive provides visitors to the NFSA with the opportunity to remix Gotye’s hit singles ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ and ‘State of the Art’.

Fractured Heart is an interactive sound and light sculpture designed and built by illuminart in collaboration with Gotye (Wouter ‘Wally’ de Backer). It was first presented as the backdrop to his live performance of ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’ with Kimbra at the 2011 ARIA Awards (see photo gallery below). The sculpture used mapped animated projections based on the music video that changed in time with Gotye’s performance.

Following the ARIA Awards, illuminart redesigned Fractured Heart as a stand-alone interactive light and sound sculpture for Vivid Sydney – A Festival of Light, Music & Ideas, in 2012. People could now interact with this ‘light harp’ sculpture through physical movement, using their body and hand gestures to remix sound loops and mapped projections.

It is the redesigned Fractured Heart that is now installed at the NFSA. According to NFSA CEO Michael Loebenstein:

'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 Gotye’s interdisciplinary creative approach, and of illuminart’s highly innovative artistic output combining sculpture, performance, and intermedia art'.

Gotye’s ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’, performed with singer Kimbra, has sold more than 10,000,000 copies worldwide and is already one of the highest selling digital singles of all time. The accompanying music video was directed by Natasha Pincus and, to date, has been viewed on YouTube more than 350,000,000 times.

In April 2013, Gotye updated Fractured Heart and uploaded a second song for visitors to remix, the track ‘State of the Art’ from the Making Mirrors album.

illuminart are led by Australian multimedia artist Cindi Drennan and designer-sculptor Craig Laurendet. Trevor Collict and animator Luku Kukuku assisted with the installation of Fractured Heart at the NFSA. Learn more about illuminart’s work on Fractured Heart at the illuminart website.

Gotye launched Fractured Heart at the NFSA on 15 February 2013.