Artist Talk / February 13 / 14.00 PM
Stephen Bontly : DMX POPs, Light, and Interaction
With The Banyan Tree, Stephen Bontly presents an evolving light-and-sound installation inspired by the ancient Banyan tree, a symbol of interconnected intelligence. Commissioned by the festival and currently on display, the installation uses TouchDesigner, grandMA, and Unreal Engine to create immersive environments where mirrors, fog, lasers, LED lights, and video respond to audience movement, transforming the space in real time. In his talk, Stephen shares his creative process and technical approach, exploring how light sculptures and interactive environments can reveal the power of collective presence and connection.
Workshop / February 13 / 15.00 PM
Stephen Bontly : Light Sculptures with DMX POPs
In this 3-hour workshop, Stephen Bontly guides participants through the creation of interactive, immersive light sculptures using TouchDesigner and DMX POPs. Drawing from his festival-commissioned installation The Banyan Tree, he demonstrates how mirrors, fog, lasers, LEDs, and projection can respond in real time to audience movement. Participants will learn practical workflows for designing multi-sensory environments, combining technical setup with spatial storytelling. The workshop equips artists and designers with tools and inspiration to craft responsive, emotionally engaging installations.
Learn more about this workshop
Stephen Bontly is a freelance Production Designer and New Media Artist, living in Berlin. Educated at the University of New Mexico with a focus in Architecture, he has honed his skills in parametric development, light design, 3D content creation, and digital fabrication. His career is marked by a passion for immersive entertainment, multi-media art installations, and the use of technology in architecture and performance arts. Through global collaboration with like-minded professionals, Stephen seeks to challenge the conventional, leveraging studies in perspective and perception to break down barriers of comfort and resistance to change. With expertise in software such as Touch Designer, Unreal Engine, and Houdini, he continues to explore the boundaries of design and its impact on human emotions and decisions in both digital and physical space. Stephen’s work aims to captivate the human mind, using design to inspire change and create open-minded individuals.
