visit to multiverse

I went to the National Art Gallery to see the light sculpture, Multiverse created by Leo Villareal. It is experienced when visitors of the museum step onto a moving walkway in the Concourse between the east and west wings of the Gallery. As you move along the walkway (for approximately 90 seconds), upwards of 40,000 LED lights are changing in what appear to be patterns. In reality, Villareal wrote a computer program that has the LEDs randomly changing. The patterns that are formed take on many different forms. For me, it looked like I was watching clouds float through the sky. I went with my dad, and he saw it as locusts or the video game, Space Invaders. Needless to say, this piece is very fun to talk about, and different each time experienced.

What makes Multiverse so cool is its use of organic form in artificial life. It takes the randomness that is nature and displays it in an artificial computerized environment using code to randomly generate patterns of light. It makes technology look like something alive and unpredictable. This is a very interesting concept and brings up some questions about their relationship. Is there a distinct boundary between life and technology or have they become so intertwined that it is becoming difficult to distinguish between the two? At this point in time, I believe that they are still two separate entities, but this piece will get you thinking about the future of technology and life.

Another significant thing to point out is the connection between the east and west buildings. The west houses the more traditional art such as portraits in paint or stone. The east holds modern art including pieces from Andy Warhol and other similar artists. I viewed Villareal’s piece as a vortex that connects the two together or a black hole that transports you to another time period’s art. After travelling through the concourse, you see a completely different side of art. The name Multiverse also implies this. You have two different art universes that are being connected.

I snapped a couple of photos of the exhibit. As you can see, the visitor is totally immersed in the piece. It made me feel like I was traveling through space or in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Check them out here