ARTECHOUSE, DC’s trendy subterranean digital art space tucked away in L’Enfant Plaza, is currently offering a new immersive exhibit, titled “Everything in Existence,” by award-winning Italian artist studio fuse*. The exhibit, which opened on January 17 and ends on March 10, explores the concepts of eternity and infinity through an aesthetic combination of light, sound, and movement.
There are four main installations in the exhibit, each generated by a software that processes data in real time. As visitors enter the ARTECHOUSE building’s entrance, they descend to the bottom of a winding staircase and find themselves in a dark, open space with reflective floors, surrounded by enormous screens projecting dynamic black and white images. This is the first installation, “Multiverse,” which visitors can view by walking around or sitting on the benches at the center of the space. The installation is reset every 30 minutes.
Visitors then move onto a dark hallway of monitors to experience the “Snowfall” installation, in which they interact with the monitors through depth sensors. Next, the “Amygdala” installation displays visuals based on real-time analysis of social media emotions. The final “Clepsydra” installation projects visuals on the ceiling based on sound data.
Through its computerized installations, “Everything in Existence” offers a uniquely immersive experience for its visitors. “‘Everything in Existence’ is meant to bring people together in a new place with a new perception of reality, a different point of view and the feeling of being all part of something bigger, being part of everything that exists,” Mattia Carretti, co-founder of fuse*, said.
“Everything in Existence” is one of many unique exhibits that have drawn large crowds to ARTECHOUSE. Since its opening in June 2017, ARTECHOUSE has become a popular spot among locals, especially young people seeking an Instagram-worthy artistic experience. The space was founded by Tatiana Pastukhova and Sandro Kereselidzeas, who sought to combine art, science, and technology to create a “true 21st century art experience.” The name ARTECHOUSE, which derives from “art,” “tech,” and “house,” precisely reflects this concept.
ARTECHOUSE hopes to influence the art world through its unique exhibits. “It is our goal to continue to make an impact on the international art scene and community by introducing the ultimate new age destination for arts and technology that will welcome both locals and world travelers for a one-of-a-kind artistic experience,” Pastukhova said.
Regular admission for “Everything in Existence” is open from Thursday to Monday and costs $12 for students.
Article by MoCo Student staff writer Anna Chen of Richard Montgomery High School.