Diving in an 'Ocean of Light' - Submergence premiers at Watershed Bristol, UK

When: Fri 13 Sept - Sat 12 Oct 2013 (exept Mondays)
Where: The Eye, Bristol Temple Quarter, Bristol

Price: free

This September Watershed invites visitors to dive into an Ocean of Light at the UK premiere of Submergence, a stunning artwork near Temple Meads Station in Bristol. Visitors to the large-scale light installation can immerse themselves in a continuously shifting ocean of thousands of differently coloured lights, created through a combination of digital pixels, light lanterns and the physical movement of the visitors themselves.

Submergence was researched and designed in the UK and Norway by award-winning digital artists and creators Squidsoup. With two acclaimed international showings at the Geneva Mapping Festival and a solo show in Oslo, the remarkable creation makes its first and only appearance in the UK then  continues its tour in St Petersburg.

Anthony Rowe, creative lead of Squidsoup introduces this installation:

 “Submergence is the latest work to emerge from Ocean of Light, a research project looking into the immersive possibilities of visual systems that occupy physical 3D space. Over 8000 individually addressable points of light are suspended in a space that people can walk within, to create an experience that is abstract yet immersive, and also responsive - the lights, and therefore the space, respond to your presence..."

The breathtaking installation is designed to be explored from inside a large black cube (8 metres x 4 metres), where visitors can move freely, experiencing the effect of their physical presence on the lights and sounds around them. The installation unfolds over 20 minutes with lights gradually increasing in intensity to a final climax.

Submergence, Oslo from squidsoup on Vimeo.

The film documents the immersive art installation called Submergence. The project first showed at Galleri ROM in Oslo, Norway, transforms physical space into a Mixed Reality environment where virtual and real worlds coincide. The result is an immersive walkthrough experience that uses light to alter our perceptions of space and presence.

The experience is akin to walking through an abstract virtual environment,…

All images & video: © Squidsoup.org