Artist Jeff Robb’s Three Acts of Will is an holographic sculptural installation integrating cutting-edge 3D image-making, interactive lighting and ambisonic sound. Amidst the “sacred geometry” of flame-flickering ice-pyramids, sensual nude blurs, and silvery monoliths straight out of Space Odyssey, Robb indisputably proves himself a master magician of the dark (and light) holographic arts.

What do the first two sculptures, depicting a child and swirling mass, set the viewer up for?

They tell you about the beginning and ending of the show. The animation is the ether: a psychedelic-colored ball.

Was it inspired by an acid trip?

Maybe. It’s also a lot of fun. Quite frankly, I could stare at it for hours.

What do the hanging pyramids represent?

It’s the pregenitor of life, as a prehuman cave of infinite possibilities through a hybrid technology of video and three dimensional structures. In each pyramid, there are a million different worlds. The longer you stare, the more images emerge. These things have their own life.

What music accompanies the installation?

This is a three-dimensional ambisonic soundscape by John Rawls.

How would you describe your show to a child?

A child would just have a sense of awe and adventure, run around and enjoy it. I don’t think an explanation is particularly required.

So people can enjoy the show on a purely visceral level?

Absolutely. I’d rather they feel they’d been somewhere — an alien world, the future, the past. You walk off the streets and suddenly you’re in this crazy place full of amazing things.

You described Act II as “birth — the wrenching of the ethereal to the real.” Is being born a violent act?

Certainly the change in energies is a violent physical process. So these human figures are blended, stretched in a liminal state, almost like ghosts. When something becomes real, there’s a pain like the Big Bang.

Do you consider yourself a pioneer of holography?

I don’t think there’s anything quite like this. I respect the real pioneers in the 60’s and 70’s who were working blind, and by trial and error.

What distinguishes this project from previous holographic works?

There are two levels: the technique of the time-lapsed systems I use to capture the figures and the unique content . A recording of the space of humans’ movements: action made solid. Hopefully it’s seen more as sculpture than photographic.

Any artistic influences?

I like James Turrell, and abstract expressionists like Ivan Hitchens and Ben Nicholson. Big slabs of colour, but they’re not particularly trendy at the moment.

Do you consider your own work “trendy”?

Oh, I dont care. I’ve no idea what trendy means.

How do you think your own son will react to the show?

He’ll say, ”Cwazy!”

How does Act III foster a sense of completion?

These are hyperkinetic sketches of my son and a soundscape of him learning to speak. I recorded him for three years, documenting his genesis of speech, from noises, through a proto language, into him being able to say sentences. It’s a very personal journey, but hopefully also universal.

You’ve worked as an artist in various mediums for decades. Do you personally consider holography as the most expressive media?

It’s definitely got a magical element. I don’t know if you’ve ever developed a photograph and seen it appear in a tray. Doing that holographically is a million times more exciting. Suddenly there’s this piece of space in your hand that wasn’t there before.

How long does it take to create a hologram?

Days and weeks, rather than minutes and hours.

What are you looking forward to after the show?

A good night’s sleep.

Jeff Robb’s “Three Acts of Will” shows at Londonewcastle Art Space in London until June 13th 2013.

Words: Christine Jun (Follow Christine at @christinecocoj)

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Visual artist, Chris Levine uses an array of lasers, optics and LEDs as well as natural light to create his alluring images. Rising to prominence in 2004 with his portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Lightness of Being (which is currently touring the country as part of The Queen: Art and Image through the National Portrait Gallery), he won praise from Creative Review, world news stations and was applauded by photographer extraordinaire himself, Mario Testino who said his portrait is “the most beautiful image of the Queen I have ever seen.” We Q+A Chris – who this week opened his solo show, “Selected Works” at The Little Black Gallery in London – about his work, The Queen and his upcoming project with Anthony Hegarty.

What is your earliest memory of art?
I have distinct memories of a robot and plane drawn on blue paper that my mother gave to me when I was in hospital having an operation when I was 3. They were wondrous to me and are my earliest memory.

How did you get involved in the art world?
It was a evolutionary step from the world of graphic design and image making. Somehow I’m more free today.

When did you realise you could make a career from it?
I never questioned it despite having been through several feast and famine cycles.

What are your main inspirations in making art?
The nature of light and all it represents..

What was the selection process for the “Selected Works” exhibition at The Little Black Gallery?
We wanted to show some highlight pieces from my career. Not a retrospective. But nodding that way.

Your portrait of the Queen has been highly praised – how does it feel to be given such support?
I could never have imagined the impact Lightness of Being would have but its very gratifying. It was a soulful expression and that’s why it resonated. The image is worthy of all it’s attention.

What is your interest in the Queen?
I think the Queen is a truly extraordinary lady and I’m proud to have been humbly connected with her.

You’re work focuses on light – what are your most uplifting thoughts?
The joy my children bring me.

What are your darkest thoughts?
I can’t put things like that into words.

Your working with Anthony Hegarty – what can you tell us about that project?
I’m developing the iy_project with the Eden Project. My collaboration with Antony is an extension of that work where we believe we are tapping into the power and magic of living beauty. We are doing a show presented by MoMA in New York in January and I’m very excited about it. It will be unlike anything people have seen before.

Chris Levine: Selected Works is at The Little Black Gallery, 13A Park Walk, London, SW10 0AJ, until November 26th 2011.

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