The butterflies in my stomach started early on. This year, like all good things in Austin, the 2014 Miracoco Luminarium had a line going around the building like we were waiting outside Studio 54. All I wanted to do was get in. I become a kid again at this art installment and I was desperate to return to that feeling.
After a record time of 1 hour and 45 minutes (some people were waiting upwards to 3 hours and with children in tow), we quickly took off our shoes and I held my breath and smiled as the familiar gush of air passed when they opened the door.
Welcome to my jumpy castle on crack. More colors, no jump. All Erica happiness.
What I didn’t realize was that this installment, that hails from Nottingham, UK, has a main room that changes. From 2011-2014, the artists design something new and spectacular to feast your eyes on. For me, our 30 minute suggested time inside was just not enough. I got lost in the 2013 Exxopolis exhibition – I can only expect the same in any future visits.
With flowing, relaxing music being pumped in, the whole experience is rather surreal. Intense reds blend and give way to cool blues. The green rooms leave you calm and collected. Faces look completely different depending on where the light hits it. I felt the colorful womb envelop me and take me in.
I can’t tell you how hard it was to get off of the floor as my mind was filled with different shapes and colors – each playfully designed to change depending on how the light hits it – all done with PVC. Not a medium I would ever think of conquering (hell, we nearly burnt down Kingsley the Jellyfish when dealing with a heat gun), but inspirational nonetheless.
Two million people have visited the Luminarium since 1992. From Australia to Romania and everything in between, the Luminarium has captured something that speaks to me – traveling art.
You can learn more at on Architects of Air. Tickets cost $10 to get in and they ask that you only spend 30 minutes inside to allow other people access.
There you go – focusing a new light on the interactive light experience.
Kudos for the find and the share.
Wow, the exhibition looks fascinating! Bet you could get lost in there for hours!
These photos are phenomenal–some of your best! The math nerd in me is seriously digging all the geometry. I want to see this installation!
This looks SO cool!!
This looks so crazy… I want to go!
Amazing! This brings back memories of waiting hours to see the traveling Zaha Hadid exhibit in Central Park back in college. My best friend and I tried twice — the first time we had to abandon the line lest we miss our thesis class, and the second time we woke up basically in the middle of the night and made it through the line. We were still late to class but our professor was impressed with our excuse 🙂
Great shots and colors!
It’s amazing how much my eyes need the people in the photos just to give me a sense of scale. Without the people, it’s easier to think I’m looking at an computer illustration! Great stuff!
Wow… This looks amazing! I love exhibitions where it’s like you’re walking into another world.
This looks like so much fun. Such a wonderful experience and amazing colours.
Every year in Toronto they have an all night art exhibit running throughout the city called Nuit Blance and it is so awesome. You should check it out one year.
Oh man that looks like a trip! Literally! Great photos
Loving what I find on the Internet these days!!! This reminds me a little bit of the light experience on they “subway” train in Shanghai. They also have lots of colors. Certainly a place I’d like to visit some day.
So trippy … were people chilling out inside like I think they were in the pics?
Just wow!!!
Amazing piece of work, I would surely go there to experience it. Love the colorful lights and artistic look 🙂
They were! It was super nice to just take in the ambiance and listen to the music. Very surreal.
There is light like this one the Shanghai subway?! CRAZY!
I always find it so fascinating what people consider “good pictures”. I really loved being in this art installment and I’m glad that it is reflected in the pictures I took.
amazing place i never seen these kind of place before,, what a color combination..