CUSP SXS

In 2001, Sydney's iconic Sculpture by the Sea festival featured CUSP—an ambitious installation by James McGrath (visuals) and Barton Staggs (audio)—that transformed the sandstone cliffs of Tamarama Beach into a captivating fusion of nature, art, and technology. Over six days, the work reimagined the natural landscape, using projections and sound to blur the boundaries between the real and the digital.

The audiovisual performance combined multi-layered projections with a quadraphonic surround soundscape, immersing audiences in a sensory experience. Using 3D Studio Max, McGrath digitally reconstructed the cliffs, camera-matching their forms with precision to create a seamless canvas for animation. These digital rock faces were then “wrapped” in a series of dynamic events—animations that echoed the organic folds of drapery—before being re-projected onto the real sandstone.

The result was a visually striking and immersive experience, where technology and nature came together in a unique and thought-provoking way. Over six days, multi-projections illuminated the rock faces, seamlessly blending digital animations with the physical environment, accompanied by immersive quadraphonic sound. Using 3D Studio Max, the cliffs were digitally reconstructed, camera-matched, and “wrapped” in dynamic events that were re-projected onto the real rocks, creating a mesmerizing interplay between the natural and the virtual. Sponsored by the Australia Council for the Arts, CUSP was a time-based spectacle—a poetic meeting of art, landscape, and cutting-edge digital media.