ARTECHOUSE launched its first permanent residence in Washington, D.C., in 2017, and has since introduced locations in New York and Miami. Now on view in all three locations through January 3, 2021 is its latest show entitled “Submerge.” Surrounding Pantone’s 2020 color of the year, Classic Blue, the exhibitions feature immersive experiences to explore the color’s connection to the elements and our psyches.
In D.C., the space is exploring the color’s connection with earth through Crystalline. Viewers are completely submersed in an experiential blue castle, where the surreal setting activates the senses and draws upon the quality of dependability often associated with the color blue. Meanwhile, New York’s Celestial examines at the inspirational nature of the color blue through a multi-sensory installation that looks to the skies.
In both Northeastern locations, ARTECHOUSE is also presenting a tribute to the bar and restaurant industry, while most destinations remain restricted to the public. Instead, art patrons can partke in a virtual installation bringing to life Edward Hopper’s famous painting Nighthawks. Presented with support from Epson, the installation is titled NHKS4220 Bar Illusion and is the work of the digital creators Sven Ortel and Jesse Easdon of Noiland Collective.
A nod to the troubling times hitting bars and restaurants today, Texas-based Noiland Collective has transformed the AR bar section of the ARTECHOUSE mezzanines using a holographic reimagining of Hopper’s 1940s bar scene. Painted during a time of uncertainty looming at the start of World War II, the collective suggests a parallel between the original work and the unique circumstances surrounding today’s global pandemic. Passersby can see their silhouette integrated into the painting, finding solace and camaraderie at the counter.
“In conceiving new futures for art, ARTECHOUSE often builds bridges to the past. Artists, and images from specific historical moments, can help us navigate the unknown,” said Sandro Keserelidze, co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of ARTECHOUSE. “Meshing current and past moments of turmoil, and showing that life’s small pleasures continue amidst anxiety, NHKS4220 Bar Illusion is pure ARTECHOUSE: innovation and art colliding to bend and clarify reality.”
