Terrapin

Matter Era

Background image: Low-lit stage with a fur element resting on the surface, a white bone-like structure emerging from it, with a pink thread extending upward.
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Credit: Matter Era creative development, 2026. Image: Rosie Hastie
Commissioned by BAC, supported by Cockayne 10th Anniversary Grants for the Arts By Terrapin and Tim Spooner (UK)

When and What

  • Future
  • Public Space

Summary

  • Boldly exploring the possibilities of puppetry and animatronics.
  • A 70 minute performance and a durational installation
  • A unique collaboration between Terrapin and UK-based artist Tim Spooner
  • Suitable for festivals, galleries and theatre spaces

Impact

  • Supported by the Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program and focused on building cross-country connections between artists
  • Developed over two intensive international residencies in London and Hobart
We see a low-lit stage with scattered oorbeez, in the foreground there is a white bone-like structure rising from the surface, and pink threads extending upward and orange/yellow bits on top of the bone.
Matter Era creative development, 2026. Image: Rosie Hastie
Dark stage with scattered oorbeez, blurred pink threads in the background, and a curved piece of pink electrical conduit in the foreground.
Matter Era creative development, 2026. Image: Rosie Hastie

Description

Matter Era invites you into a post-human world - an ecosystem imagined entirely without people. Part installation, part performance, it blends experimental puppetry with animated objects and materials to bring a living, unpredictable landscape to life.

Pullout quote

It feels like an old fashioned puppetry trope in a way… we were quite interested in what happens when you go back to the human beings being invisible.
– Tim Spooner

Upcoming performances

2026

Low-lit stage with oorbeez scattered across the surface, fur elements suspended and resting, and white bone-like structures connected by pink threads.
Matter Era creative development, 2026. Image: Rosie Hastie

Interested in Matter Era?

Get in touch

  • Matter Era oorbeez are scattered on a dark surface with small white bone-like structures emerging.
    Matter Era creative development, 2026. Image: Rosie Hastie
  • A low-lit stage with oorbeez scattered across the surface and a white, bone-like structure connected by pink threads.
    Matter Era creative development, 2026. Image: Rosie Hastie
  • A wide angle of the Matter Era stage, we see on either side of the stage truss with big lights shining down, it's very low-lit, with oorbeez scattered across the surface, white bone-like structures, pink threads, and fur elements.
    Matter Era creative development, 2026. Image: Rosie Hastie

Partners

Terrapin and Matter Era are supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program.

  • Commissioned by
  • Supported by

Terrapin

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Proudly sponsored by Creative Australia and Tasmanian Government

  • Creative Australia
  • Tasmanian Government

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Contact

77 Salamanca Place, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia 7004 info@terrapin.org.au

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