DISRUPTIVE CRITTERS

DUCKWORTH HULLICK DUO

Supported by RMIT University

Disruptive Critters is a playable interactive audiovisual installation designed for live vocalized sound art performances by the Duckworth Hullick Duo. Disruptive Critters embodies the playful chaos of creativity and digital disruption in an era defined by rapid advances in artificial intelligence. As a unique interactive audiovisual installation, the work explores the intersection of human emotions and machine-generated expression. A multi-touch tabletop console invites players to construct their own immersive visceral experiences by triggering sound generating entities, or Critters, from a graphical menu. Each autonomous critter offers a distinct visual identity and vocal repertoire to create unexpected and layered compositions.

The critters evolve both sonically and visually, blurring the boundaries between human and machine, performer and audience. The Critters become co-performers seemingly striving to communicate with players and with each other in unpredictable ways. The virtual critters appear to have their own agenda, gradually increasing in sonic complexity and evolving from one animated form to another over time to create unexpected combinatorial sounds that can surprise and delight.

Players are immersed in a responsive, interactive world where the virtual critters seemingly come alive, teem and flock, collide and collude, evolve and devolve in various forms of sonic mischief that is ambiguous, surprising, amusing, and at times profoundly melodic. Through their unpredictable behavior and unique vocal ranges, Disruptive Critters offers a new perspective on the relationship between human creativity and technology that is both unlimited and uncharted. The result is a one-of-a-kind digital instrument that challenges traditional notions of sounds art and offers an alternate perspective on the possibilities of digital disruption afforded by computational systems that transforms the gallery into an engaging and lively performance area.

ALBUM

Disruptive Critters is both a live concert and gallery installation.

Live concert vVersions of the work have been performed in The Meat Market (2017, JOLT Arts, Victoria), Australia at Tura New Music (2018, WA); RMIT Gallery (2021, Future:U, Victoria); The Meat Market (2017, JOLT Arts, Victoria) and JOLTED Arts Space (2023). Internationally the work has been presented in Barcelona (2017, Sonar+D) and Japan (2023, Bank Arts Yokohama and, Urban Guild Kyoto). The concert is a 35-minute performance by James Hullick and Jonathan Duckworth playing the DHD’s bespoke DC tabletop audio-visual interface in surround sound.

An exhibition only version of the work has been specifically developed to enable gallery attendees to freely play, explore and experiment with the interface. A prototype was shown at RMIT Gallery (2021-2022, Future U, Victoria) and modified to be presented internationally at SIGGRAPH 2024 Art Gallery Denver and ISEA 2025, Seoul,

ARTISTS

James Hullick & Jonathan Duckworth: Artistic Direction & Live Performance

Jonathan Duckworth: Interactivity Design

Hullick: Sound Design

Ross Eldridge: Computer Programming

Casey Rice: Computer Programming

Hullick: Prerecorded Voice

Justine Anderson: Prerecorded Voice

Astrid Bolcskey-Hullick: Prerecorded Voice & Video Performance

Charlotte Bolcskey: Prerecorded Voice

Photography: Tim McNeilage, WoW Studios

PREVIOUS EXHIBITIONS
ISEA 2025, Seoul Arts Center, Seoul, 23-29 May, 2025
SIGGRAPH 2024, Denver, Art Gallery, 28 July-Aug 2024
RMIT Gallery, Melbourne: 29 Jul 2021 – 26 Feb 2022 (prototype)

Supported by RMIT University. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body. This project is supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.

Duckworth Hullick Duo