Guest Speaker: Brendan Walker

Brendan Walker, Thrill Laboratory

Thrill Laboratory: after Alton Towers - a 5-year retrospective

Brendan Walker runs Aerial, a design practice specialising in the creation of tailored emotional experience. Blending strategies from the arts, design, engineering and psychology, Aerial offers strategic consultancy; the design and production of intriguing interactive electromechanical installations, sculptures and rides; and the curating and staging of engaging events.

In 2003, Brendan began researching the phenomenon of thrill to inform his creative practice, funded by the AHRB. In 2004 he began to experiment using physiological monitoring to create new work incorporating biofeedback. And in 2005 he was commissioned by the Science Museum to create and produce a series of events that were to become Fairground: Thrill Laboratory, which is where Brendan began to collaborate with MRL, and more recently work within Horizon.

Since then, the Thrill Laboratory brand, and the creative experiments it produces has grown. Yet, Thrill Laboratory still remains true to its original mission statement: "Thrill Laboratory is dedicated to the practical pursuit of creating, producing, and examining new forms of thrilling experience. Thrill Laboratory is a fluid organisation of scientists, artists, designers, engineers, and technologists all of whom have a passion for experimentation".

Brendan will present an overview of new Thrill Laboratory related work, which he has produced over the past 5 years.