2023
AMA
Babekühl & Phondupe x Vivid Sydney
FilmImmersive ExperienceProjection Art'A remix of nature - If nature could dream, this is what it’ll look like.' New media arts collective Babekühl and Sydney music producer Phondupe team up to take the viewers on a mind-bending 360° immersive experience as part of Vivid Sydney 2023. 'AMA' invites viewers to immerse themselves into the psychedelic dreamscape captured by infrared technology and accompanied by an ambient soundscape by Phondupe. 'AMA' will be exhibited at Vivid House, The Cutaway, Barangaroo on 26th to June 17th- experience nature like never before.
| PROJECTS | DESCRIPTION | |
|---|---|---|
| [01] | The Cutaway | AMA at Vivid Sydney 2023 |
| [02] | Our process | Making AMA |
The Cutaway
Vivid Sydney 2023
Image Destination NSW 
Our process
Ama was born in the thick of the pandemic lockdowns. Both Babekühl and Phondupe felt the need to explore the world beyond their bedroom walls, and their connection with the ocean.
Phondupe spent days creating a soundscape that transported him back to his travels to Naoshima Island, Japan. Digging through field recordings he had collected from a pre-pandemic adventure, he uncovered a sample of "angelic vocals recorded by the ocean” which formed the basis of the track.
The name ‘AMA’ translates to “Woman of the sea” in Japanese and refers to the traditional female free divers in Japan who would descend to the depths of the ocean in search of shellfish and pearls. Much like their deep and unique connection with the ocean, this film is a testament to the unity between humanity and nature.
Babekühl explores their childhood memories through the lens of an infrared camera, retracing the steps in the Australian landscapes that surround their childhood home.
Together Phondupe and Babekühl combined both their own personal journeys of healing to create AMA - a transformative experience much like a visual medicine that connects you to the natural world.
