The world inside a downtown L. And I was surprised at what I felt: rested but not tired. This was a deep, calming state, one in which I was wide awake but unable to zero in on a specific thought or concern. Even if only for a moment, worries, loneliness and to-do lists felt as if they were sailing by. Everything I have a tendency to dwell on was present but also slightly out of reach.
Descriptions for immersive experiences in have the tendency to sound like mental health retreats. Many boast an ability to surround participants in awe, prompt restorative mindfulness, alleviate anxiety or inspire a dopamine release. And so it was that I found myself lying on a concrete floor, a small pillow beneath my head and translucent upright slabs surrounding me β aluminum frames with a lightweight, sheer-screened fabric designed to diffuse light.
Chromasonic is a newly opened walk-through art installation in downtown. I stroll in and out of mini, boxy spaces while slowly shifting ceiling LED lights make their boundaries feel slightly elusive. The entire area is dedicated to the transitory. Chromasonic is the creation of four artists. Its thesis falls somewhere between art and science.
A Chromasonic environment, says Girardoni, is designed to be something of a fast track to a meditative state. Removing all that information β normal physical reality β allows us to move into this expanded, new way of sensing awareness.
Art-wise, there are antecedents. In terms of accomplishing that goal, the Chromasonic team has been working on ways to turn light into sound and vice versa. Johannes speaks of the downtown space eventually hosting live music performances, the lighting in the venue responding in real time to the musicians. The software, says Johannes, allows the team to witness how light and sound waves expand and contract. When: Chromasonic Field is open Thursday through Sunday, with multiple entry times per day.
