Jack Restall's Interactive Sound Installations Challenge AI Narratives

New Media artist Jack Restall, from Milton Keynes, creates immersive installations that merge sound, music, software, and 3D modeling to explore the relationship between physical reality and digital environments. His work counters exploitative AI narratives by demonstrating technology's potential to expand consciousness and human capability. Restall's practice evolved from a Foundation Degree in Aerospace Engineering at Loughborough University to Music Production at the University of Northampton, where he discovered TouchDesigner and Ableton. His installations have been exhibited in Barcelona and London, with a significant solo show, Humanitas, in Northampton. A key work, Anima, features a physically broken guitar transformed via projection mapping and a custom pedal board, allowing participants to influence live audio and visuals. The piece draws on Carl Jung's concept of the anima as a subconscious guide. Restall cites influences including Ryoji Ikeda, Max Cooper, Gerhard Richter, Man Ray, Wassily Kandinsky, Brian Eno, Prince, Frank Zappa, and Radiohead. He explicitly distinguishes his work from generative AI, emphasizing direct human authorship. During the 2020 lockdowns, he taught himself guitar, which helped him leave a corporate career and commit to art. His projects often incorporate Jungian psychology and address themes of spirituality, consciousness, and human progress.