A National Gallery of Australia touring exhibition

Inspired by Sci-Fi, comics and fantasy movies, Jess Johnson & Simon Ward: Terminus is a virtual reality (VR) installation that transports the viewer into an imaginary landscape of colour and pattern populated by human clones, moving walkways and gateways to new realms.

With their pioneering use of virtual reality, artists Jess Johnson and Simon Ward hold a unique position amongst contemporary art practitioners. Johnson’s drawings are transformed from analogue into digital, and from solo practice into cross-disciplinary collaboration, forming the basis of this virtual experience. Animated by Ward, the result is Terminus: a mysterious universe of alien architecture populated by humanoid clones and cryptic symbols, explored via a network of travellators and gateways.

Terminus presents a quest, a choose-your-own adventure into the technological. Prepare yourself for a slippage of time and space as your journey propels you through five distinct realms.

Plan your visit

Terminus includes five VR experiences, which are each approximately 5:30 minutes in duration. You may find there is a short wait before you can begin your quest.

Image credit: Jess Johnson and Simon Ward, Terminus (still), 2017-2018, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, commissioned with the assistance of The Balnaves Foundation 2017, purchased 2018 © Jess Johnson and Simon Ward, courtesy of Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney; Ivan Anthony Gallery, Auckland and Jack Hanley Gallery, New York.

For more information on Jess Johnson go to: https://www.jessjohnson.org
or to buy prints and merchandise of her artwork go to:
https://www.jessjohnson.org/store

VIDEO CREDIT: Jess Johnson and Simon Ward, Terminus 2017-18, virtual reality experience in five parts: colour, sound

National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, commissioned with the assistance of The Balnaves Foundation 2017, purchased 2018 © Jess Johnson and Simon Ward, courtesy of Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney; Ivan Anthony Gallery, Auckland and Jack Hanley Gallery, New York