Shared Language III, 2022
Aphra Shemza, Stuart Batchelor and Peter Todd in collaboration with the public
Materials: Interactive digital painting application and real time archive animation
Dimensions: Variable
Shared Language III is an interactive digital artwork that invites visitors to contribute to a living archive of geometric compositions inspired by the visual language of Anwar Jalal Shemza. Developed by Aphra Shemza in collaboration with Stuart Batchelor and Peter Todd, the work uses a bespoke digital painting application accessed via QR code, enabling audiences to become active participants in the creative process.
In 1962, Anwar Jalal Shemza wrote, “One circle, one square, one problem, one lifetime is not enough to solve it.” Building on his lifelong exploration of geometric forms and their capacity to express the interconnectedness of all things, Shared Language III invites visitors to continue this creative exploration through their own interpretations of his visual language.
Each digital painting is instantly added to a living archive projected within the gallery. As new artworks enter the archive and earlier ones disappear, the installation becomes a continually changing expression of collective creativity. Shared Language III explores the relationship between individual expression and collective memory, celebrating an artistic legacy that continues to evolve through the participation of others.