Naked Communications has created an installation at Melbourne’s Federation Square to mark digital creative festival Pause Fest.

Naked was selected to create the installation. The agency’s communications director Andrew Reeves discusses the exhibition which will see strangers, lovers, families and more work together to light up the sign.

Pause Fest is on in Melbourne from February 13 until Sunday, February 16. Click here to see the line-up and more.

Q: Could you paint a picture of the installation and how it works for those who can’t get down to Melbourne’s Fed Square?

A: The installation presents an LED of the phrase “weareallconnected” which will illuminate in bright crimson and green. This is framed inside a perspex box and is situated in Federation square. Coming out from the font of the box are 2 wires and these run to two handles that are set about 3M apart and 2M from the box – the work asks the viewers to join hands and complete a circuit between the 2 handles – only then will the Led light up.

Q: How did Naked Communications come up with the concept ‘We Are Connected’ and what does the piece represent for the agency?

A: It all started when we bought a makey makey board and started playing music with bananas and anything else conductive – including Naked staff.  The idea for the piece is actually really simple, an interpretation on the festival theme: connected. The concept seeks to comment on the transient and ephemeral nature of our connections thanks to digital and virtual communications by challenging people to work together to connect and make something happen as a result.

Q: How did the installation test Naked’s skills and what did the team learn from the experience?

A: True this one falls outside of the natural Naked skill set; building, fabricating, engineering have stretched the core team, and we have lent heavily on the experience of guys like Matt Penza, a creative who has worked with Naked over the past 6 months and who also happens to be an engineer.  Being a creative and strategic company we are definitely good at ideas – but making them happen is a different thing all together.  It’s probably an understatement therefore to say the experience has been challenging at times, but its also been galvanising and satisfying.

Q: What feelings/realisations are you hoping to evoke in those interacting with the work?

A: The work bares a simple statement / challenge that sums it up well “statistically you are connected to more people online than you could easily name. But when was the last time you held hands with any of them”.