dark cloud / white light is a fully immersive, audiovisual synthaesthesic experience. It combines time-lapse, photography, landscape art and sound to create an intimate experience of awe and wonder.

Viewers become mesmerised by the pristine New Zealand wilderness as the work seamlessly transcends from day to night and back to day - a technique known as the ‘Holy Grail’ of time-lapse photography.

Each looping landscape features an original music soundtrack, individually composed specifically for the work. This includes collaborations with Rhian Sheehan, Michael Hodgson, Claire Cowan, Keith Ballantyne, Tristan Dingemans and William Basinski.

A behind the scenes documentary (exhibiting alongside the artworks) shows the remarkable journey Michael embarked on to capture these frames over two years.

dark cloud / white light exhibited at Pataka Art + Museum (14 July - 13 October 2013) and Waterfront Auckland's Silo Park Gallery (January 2014), Pah Homestead Auckland (August 2014) and during Wanaka's festival of colour (April 2015) with over 130,000 people viewing Michael's work to date.

Four artworks from dark cloud / white light received honorable mentions at the International Photography awards.

A short essay on the exhibition can be accessed here. 

Sample Works:

Kā Mauka Whakatipu — resilience →

Ki Piopiotahi — to catch the sun →

Watch Michael's TEDx Talk here →

I’m curious about colour, and as an artist, I often using artificial light in my installations. However; there is something very compelling when you see nature producing luminous pixels of its own.

Arachnocampa luminosa is a species of glowworm endemic to the island nation of New Zealand. These long exposure photographs were captured in a number of limestone caves in the North Island. The 30 million year old formations form a majestic backdrop to the bioluminescence of the glowworms.

Check out this work on Colossal, Wired, The Verge, Juxtapoz and many more. 

Late at night on the 5th of February 2015, I encountered my first iceberg, instantly overwhelmed by curiosity and the infinite range of blue hues floating around in this magical playground.

In order to categorise the photography, sound recordings and film of each iceberg we gave them names. Although scientific in method, somehow the personification of ancient water molecules seemed to make the bergs ever more endearing to us.

The only remnants of their 10,000 year journey from a falling snowflake to calving off a glacier are these recordings, but their spirit lives on in the installations that are created.

Un hommage to nature and the atoms that connect us for we are biologically bound with what we see.

The tree of light (Kauri - Māramatanga) is a playful look at New Zealand’s majestic Kauri. The artwork takes inspiration from an indigenous belief that sacred trees stand at the centre of the universe, with roots extending to the underworld and branches held up the heavens. This light sculpture however, features no roots or branches, just a slice of the picture, encouraging the viewer to delve into the depths of our consciousness. When viewing the work the artist encourages us to think of what lies beyond the visible spectrum.

Kauri; strong and magnificent. She outlived the dinosaurs, yet today stands on the brink of its own extinction.  

Photos @ Bas Van Est

Up late one night, wandering around the neighbourhoods of Westmere, Herne Bay and Ponsonby in Auckland, New Zealand. A heavy mist rolled in off the ocean before dawn, creating fantastical God rays between the trees and street lamps for just a precious few hours. 

Entre chien et loup is a multi-layered French expression, used to describe a specific time of day, just before night, when the light is so dim you can’t distinguish a dog from a wolf.

However, it’s not all about levels of light. It expresses that limit between the familiar and the unknown, the domestic and wild. It's an uncertain threshold between hope and fear.

This is the hour of change. 

dark matter universe, above and below.

"The bubbles of São Jorge…"

The series was created in the heart of Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro as an antidote to the corruption, disease, crime and terrorism that so often plagues the media.

During my time in Rocinha (the largest favela in South America) I was not confronted by a dangerous jungle or guns. 

Instead I was greeted with vibrant colours, music, dance and some of the most friendly humans on this planet.

A curios installation series reminding us of our dreams… of floating iridescent miracles.. 

mais amor por favor.

Behind the scenes stills from our 2015 expedition to Antarctica.

I lead a creative team that sailed to the Antarctic peninsula where we photographically mapped icebergs which will be projected onto prominent buildings across the globe.

You can read more about this series in the fine art section of the website here or watch some of the behind the scenes videos here.  

Crossing the drake passage has been described as the price tag of entry to Antarctica. The peace and serenity of the Antarctic is matched only by the turbulence and drama of the Drake. You cannot have one without the other. This surely feels like the last place on earth. 

Long exposure photographs attempt to replicate the feeling of endless motion, as we crossed this most notorious stretch of salt water. 

In the end, the only way forward; to let go and become at one with the mass of swirling ocean beneath us. Our vessel tossed side to side, blurring lines between peace and pain, and finally greeted by a magical wonderland of icebergs.