Presented with Perth Festival.
Idea Induction is a series of works responding to the question: Where do ideas come from? Physically and energetically, ideas arise from the alpha and theta brainwave states—spaces of relaxation and heightened creativity. Each artwork in this series orients viewers toward these states of mind through process, material, prompts, or sound.
At the heart of the exhibition lies a participatory sound piece featuring a “singing chair.” This unique chair, when strummed, produces a carpet of sound that envelops the sitter, fostering a state of relaxation. Visitors are invited to sit in the chair, whether to seek clarity, solve a problem, make a decision, or simply out of curiosity. The chair’s vibrations guide participants into receptive brain states that nurture vision, insight, and inspiration.
Designed to spark the flow of ideas, Idea Induction acts as a catalyst for connecting to creativity. By offering multiple entry points, the work meets participants where they are, inviting them to engage at their own depth and pace. With attentive and intentional presence, the artist facilitates this process, guiding individuals to uncover and sweep ideas into motion. Through this act of conceptual midwifery, Mitchell emphasises the importance of tuning into inner inspirations that can be transformed into tangible realities, highlighting our collective potential to shape a more caring, empathetic, and just society.
IDEA INDUCTION Events
About Kate Mitchell
1982 Sydney, Australia Lives and works on Gubbi Gubbi land / Sunshine Coast Kate Mitchell’s practice spans video, objects, image-making, and public interventions. Mitchell’s video works often position her as the central protagonist in absurd, challenging, and amusing situations – teasing out themes related to productivity, labour, success, and failure.
The current focus of her practice draws on social uses of magical thinking and New Age practices and their collision and absorption by conventional structures and rational frameworks. Mitchell is interested in the multi-layered outcomes of these experiments that speak to who we are, what we value and how we exist.
Mitchell’s work is included in leading public and private collections across Australia including: Kadist Foundation, Paris and San Francisco; Michael Buxton Collection, Melbourne; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney. In 2019, Mitchell was included in ‘Enter’ at the Lyon Housemuseum.
In 2020, she was commissioned to create All Auras Touch, an expansive installation at Carriageworks.
In 2022, she was selected as part of the Adelaide Biennial for her work Open Channels. The artist is represented by Chalk Horse Gallery, Sydney.