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Robot bird alarm clocks, skulls, giant speakers, a jack russell, Godzilla and a whole lot of flies all feature in Eugene Hansen's latest exhibition RootMeanSquare, opening at Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts on November 26.

 The Wellington based Hansen explores our mediascape through a sound installation that includes artist-built synthesisers, and an array of speaker systems accompanied by sprawling graphic images.

 Six other artists have collaborated with Hansen on components of the show including New York based graphic designer Dr Kron who has created the many images of flies, skulls, condoms, "My Little Pony" and other pop culture imagery that sprawls across the gallery walls.

 Hansen's exhibition has 50 speakers positioned about the gallery in large scale, hand crafted wooden casings  and purpose built geometric sculptures.  "It's a celebration of sound", says Hansen, "and there is also plenty of knobs and switches for visitors to play with so that they can interact with the technology". 

 Trained as a sculptor Hansen enjoyed the DIY of building his own analogue and modular synthesisers together with parts acquired from TradeMe and Ebay.  Hansen's own jack russell "Frank" even stars on a wall of screens featuring the dog moving around the exhibition space.

 With all these elements, Hansen puts a wild spin on our landscape which is now no longer physical but also virtual.  By taking audio, mixing it up and deconstructing it, Hansen looks at how this new mediascape affects us.

 Te Tuhi curator Bruce Philips is excited about Hansen's exhibition.  "I'd call it a hyper show", says Phillips, "as this exhibition virtually bombards you with sound and images.  In our daily lives we are constantly exposed to advertising and we live through a virtual world of media such as internet, television and radio.  Hansen's show pulls all that apart in an entertaining, vibrant and sometimes confrontational way."

 RootMeanSquare by Eugene Hansen opens at Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts on November 26 and runs until January 29.  A special opening at 2pm on Saturday is open to the public.  Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts is situated at 13 Reeves Rd, Pakuranga.