Sam is a Creative Coder, Musician and Visualist living in London, Sam has an unstoppable interest in interactive arts, emerging technologies, their place in the every day and beyond.
Interview with Sam Wray
Tell us about your background
I'm 27, a graduate of Digital Art and Technology from Plymouth University, UK. I grew up in Plymouth, but now live in London.
For the longest time I've loved the fusion between art and technology. When I started creating music at age 14 I chose to use my Nintendo DS as I could load homebrew software NitroTracker onto an M3 cart, this was magical to me.
Alongside this interest in creating using hardware, I've always been an avid fan of the web and how people can access things so easily. I grew up when the transition to broadband was happening, I remember the roads being dug-up outside our house. The late 90s was such a brilliant time to be getting into technology I think, everything was shrinking and becoming more advanced in leaps-and-bounds.
Fast-forward a few years, now my full-time work is in Brand Experience. I help shape ideas and technology choices when brands are looking to build interactive experiences. Recently I've had work shown and used on the BAFTAs 2020 red carpet opening and London's Piccadilly Lights.
Outside of work I like to create music using old games consoles and develop my open source audio visualisation project, modV.
modV is my longest running project and has been my playground for all the exciting edge web APIs.
What is your definition of art + tech?
art + tech = naturally combined
Who, or what, inspires you in your art and in your life?
My largest inspiration to create live performance visuals came from the chiptune scene. Artists such as hellocatfood, Lazer Sausage, Dan Hett and DIY Destruction all had a profound impact on me. Seeing their visual setups, all different, mostly custom, was a huge eye-opener for me.
Lazer Sausage's Processing-based visuals at the last Analog Attack in London (2014) prompted me to develop a small hack-project further, which grew into modV.
What is your process or techniques for creating your work?
Usually I create my pieces all within modV. I generally mix and match with what's available and each time I've discovered some new and interesting combination.
What’s next for you as an artist?
My dream project would be to work on modV full-time. I'd love to create a platform for people to share their own modules and presets for the software.
What’s the greater purpose behind your artwork?
To push the limits of what is possible to artists and creators on the web and for open source projects and communities.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Limits foster creativity.
