A longstanding theme of my work with immersive technologies is the joy of serendipity, which I experienced in a recent trip to London.
Based in Canary Wharf, Illusionaries is currently hosting world-renowned esoteric power couple Alex and Allyson Grey’s “Entheon” exhibit, named after their Hudson Valley-based sanctuary in New York state.
After trekking across the sprawling city, I met director on hand, who granted me access to the gallery. What I saw there was nothing short of spectacular and it was worth the gamble.
Peering Behind the Veil of Existence
Immediately, I was met with an ethereal montage of psychedelic images from the artful masterminds. Mirrored lights and sculptures merged into one another, projecting infinite visuals leading to four rooms where the real magic took place.
Being a massive fan of of the legendary artists TOOL, I genuinely enjoyed the Greys’ esoteric genius up close and personal throughout the exhibit.
I am a massive fan of immersive exhibitions, especially Reifik Anadol’s artistic debut at Coventry’s Reel Store — the UK’s first ever XR gallery.
London is no stranger to immersive content curation. Over the last few years, the capital city has hosted The Exhibition Hub’s Van Gogh and Gustav Klimt experiences, Tin Drum’s Medusa ARt showcase at the V&A Museum, the resident blockbuster ABBA: Voyage, Sandbox VR‘s hit location-based VR gaming, and Tottenham Court Road station’s Outernet.
However, this was arguably the most personal for me, and after stepping through the doorway, I entered what felt was literally another world. Mystical themes merged throughout each motif, teasing spectators a seductive dance between matter, mind, and the metaphysical.
Entheon: FIve Windows to the Soul
Alex and Allyson Grey’s Entheon explores the theme of human existence by traversing the layers across mind, body, and spirit, playing on the multifaceted connections between the three realms.
According to the Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (COSM), Entheon literally means “a place to discover the Creator within.”
The artwork placed several masterpieces on full display:
- Progress of the Soul
- Chaos, Order & Secret Writing
- Sacred Mirrors
- Steeplehead
- The Hall of Beings
However, behind the latticework of interconnected visuals and sounds, XR tools worked their magic in a seamless marriage between technological solutions, creative content, and visual mapping.
Some on-site solutions included a mesh of Epson projectors, 3D surround sound speakers, and Dolby Digital-enhanced subwoofers.
However, behind the curtain, Italian XR collective Deltaprocess’s visual mapping technologies brought Entheon’s hallucinogenic marvels to light.
Comprised of a team of technologists, Deltaprocess has featured its XR contet at the Glastonbury and Boomtown Fairs, Brazil’s Universo Paralello, Lakmé Fashion Week, Coalesce, and India’s Hilltop festivals, among others.
They have also created imagery for the Chemical Brothers, the Wu Tang Clan, Amelie Lens, DJ Sasha, and top events for enterprises like Ferrari, Electrolux, GQ, Dainese, Vicenza FC, Diesel, Trussardi, and others. Their technologies include video jockeying (VJing), body projection mapping, holograms, visual mapping, audiovisual performances, and more.
For Entheon, their sophisticated techniques superimposed hypnotic, surreal creative content onto a solitary sculpture known as Steeplehead, and transfigured communal spaces into psychedelic shared experiences.
Along with Deltaprocess, Tas Visuals provided cornerstone creative content for the XR experiences. Elia Zupin, Composer and Sound Designer, also breathed life into art with Ryan Tottle, 3D modeller.
Without a doubt, I left the gallery changed. Illusionaries captured the very essence of Alex and Allyson Grey’s artwork through the power of XR, drawing audiences in with captivating, awe inspiring art in motion.
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