For the 2015 Vivid light festival in Sydney this year, artists Thomas+Sebastian have combined forces to make a cool light forest called Robotanic. K-Zone got to chat to them about what it's like making art for a living and how the idea of robots

KZ: How did you both get into making art?

Thomas: I found a love for art and design from a pretty early age - from LEGO and building blocks as a young kid, to art classes in primary school, to visual arts and design technology in high school. I've enjoyed drawing and experimental art from as long as I can remember.
Sebastian: I was pretty similar actually, growing up I was always drawing, making models, and tinkering with anything and everything. I then studied design for live production and events and that really cemented the arts as an avenue id love to explore.

KZ: What's the most fun thing about creating art with light?

Thomas: Light brings a whole new element into an artwork - something that might only be visual suddenly turns interactive and away from the canvas. The most fun thing with light is playing and experimenting with the many different colours, shadows and effects light can create.

KZ: Your installation is called Robotanic – how do robots come into the concept?

Thomas: Sebastian and I had a laugh when thinking of names to call our project. The concept revolves around technology mimicking nature, so we thought about playing with words that link the two together. Robotanic is a juxtaposition between robotic and botanic. No robots involved haha.

KZ: If you could put a light installation anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Thomas: I'd love to experiment with something different and unconventional to the mainstream areas of lighting design - lining the Great Wall of China with lights, the pyramids of Egypt or even doing something cool underwater like a virtual reef.
Sebastian: Not sure, but definitely an unusual place, maybe deep in a cave or an abandoned industrial estate somewhere.

KZ: What would you do if you had to live without technology for a day?

Thomas: I'd wake up to the sound of nature and walk outside and explore - just walk as far as I can and get lost in the environment that surrounds me, using all my senses to capture nature. Then the next day use my mobile to call a taxi and get home to watch TV!
Sebastian: I'd go to the beach, get outside, read a book, draw or paint something. Plenty you can do when you’re "switched off”.

​You can see Robotanic in the flesh from May 22 to June 8, 2015 at the Vivid light festival in Sydney.