Recently I had an eight hour layover on a train trip from North Carolina to Pittsburgh, so I decided to use the opportunity to visit some places that I’ve been wanting to go but haven’t had the chance.
My first stop was Artechouse, an interactive art venue that focuses on merging art and technology. The exhibit that I saw was called Renewal 2021, their 4th Annual Cherry Blossom Inspired Installation. Visual Design for the exhibit was by Yuya Takeda, music was by Mario Hammer and the Lonely Robot, and the scenery was by Design Foundry.
There was a short video before entering the exhibit space that explained the exhibit and their policies, then I was free to explore as I pleased.
The main room was an interactive video and sound installation that changed as I moved along the walls. The projections on each wall featured a city 100 years into the future that was covered in garbage, but cherry blossoms as well. When I got close to the walls in the sequence depicting the city, blossoms and piles of garbage flurried around me as I waved my arms and moved about the room. That sequence featured how the world might look in the future: covered in garbage, but with bits of nature waiting to reclaim it. Another sequence was a beautiful meadow, with more blossoms flurrying around me as moved, inspiring hope that we can change our future and make the Earth a healthier place.
In a hallway adjacent to the main room was a futuristic arcade that featured games, vending machines, and stalls selling various wares. There was a long room off of this hallway that mimicked a cat walk above the city with an interactive screen at the end that highlighted my silhouette in fizzy neon pink that scattered into little dots around me.
On the way back from the catwalk was a hallway featuring graffiti from an artist I can’t remember now and could kick myself for not taking a picture of the information plaque. It was like Graffiti Wall 2121 and the part that stuck out to me most was the lettering that said, “Do What You Want to Do.” And I felt that.
In summary, Artechouse is definitely worth a visit if you like being immersed in environments that make you think and make you a part of the work itself. It’s cool that the projections followed me as I moved and the whole thing was eye candy to the max, but it’s also cool that the work is symbolically saying that I am a powerful individual, and I can influence the future now. Right now. And with people like me and you taking care of the planet, the future isn’t bleak. It’s full of promise and possibilities.