Meow Wolf Electric Forest, photo by frozenchipmunk

French poet Victor Hugo is credited with the expression that "nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come." Given a general fascination with Instagrammable photo ops and our thirst for unique cultural experiences and interactive entertainment, the time is now for immersive art.

When a group of artists joined forces with the likes of George RR Martin, the novelist, and mastermind behind HBO's Game of Thrones, the alliance that was formed resulted in Meow Wolf (for which the perplexing name choice is part of its mystery and appeal). The one-of-a-kind art immersed, interactive experience which transformed an abandoned bowling alley in an industrial area of the arts-rich community of Santa Fe, rivals that of many major museums in terms of attendance and popularity. Santa Fe's "House of Eternal Return" invites patrons to be a part of its sci-fi storyline, for which visitors flock by the hundreds of thousands each year. The Meow Wolf concept has grown to include venues in several other major cities. Although not the first of its kind, Meow Wolf sparked a resurgence of interest in immersive art nationwide.

Immersive art fulfills a different experience of art in which, in many cases, consumers are transformed into characters in the scene. In this series, we're exploring the artistic roots of these immersive experiences and sharing a snapshot of locations where you can find intriguing immersive and experiential art throughout the United States.

“Guardian Angel” by UGallery artist Lee Smith

What is Immersive Art?

Let's start by attempting to answer this fundamental question, challenging as it may be. There is no strict prescription or formula for what constitutes art, and immersive art can't be characterized as any one thing. Typically it is a combination of modern and contemporary art which incorporates new media and high-tech elements in a way that allows the viewer to integrate within the creative landscape, cultivating a unique blending of visual art and experiential entertainment. Popular examples include the immersive Van Gogh shows that have been touring cities throughout North America in the last several years.

While it has recently exploded as an industry, immersive art's roots predate the modern-day Meow Wolfs and immersive Van Goghs. Many creative minds in the art world have been contemplating and conducting immersive art experiences in various forms for several decades.

Rooted in Alternative Art Movements

teamLab @ NGV Triennial Melbourne, photo by Romain Pontida

Tokyo's teamLab has been working within the immersive art realm since the early 2000s. The international art collective made up of specialists in the arts, animation, engineering, and architecture was among the first to conceptualize the spectator as the participant in the art experience. TeamLab's first immersive art installations were located in China and Japan, and have expanded to sites internationally including the Art Gallery of South Australia, the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, the Borusan Contemporary Art Collection of Istanbul, and a host of other places throughout the globe.

Reaching further back in the art history archives, Dada and similar alternative art movements have played a significant role in influencing today's application of immersive art. Another early adopter of the immersive art concept was Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama. In 1960 New York she began staging performance art experiences ranging from the provocative to the political, and often a combination of the two. Utilizing nude participants as her canvas, Kusama adorned them in her signature polka dot paintings, eventually landing shows at the prestigious Museum of Modern Art. Despite battles with mental illness, she continued as a major player in the avant-garde movement and continues impactful work into her 90s, for which her "Infinity Rooms" draw impressive crowds. Utilizing her sculptural work and installations as reflected through a series of mirrors, Kusama has created over 20 immersive exhibits over her lifetime, five of which can be witnessed first-hand at the Hirshorn Museum in Washington DC.

Current Immersive Art Experiences and Where to Find Them

“Planet Stories” by UGallery artist Rick “Marlowe” Schneider

There are dozens of venues throughout the US by which the immersive art-curious can experience it first-hand. Each conveys unique offerings, from interactive art to rides and virtual reality adventures. With this in mind, we're highlighting some of the more interesting venues from each region of the country.

Best of the West

AREA15, Las Vegas, Nevada

AREA 15 is a conglomeration of several immersive art experiences within a single entertainment district, including the "Omega Mart," one of the secondary Meow Wolf experiences that have popped up since the initial Santa Fe site blew up in popularity.

Wonderspaces Arizona in Scottsdale

Wonderspaces Arizona features 14 different interactive and immersive artworks. Wonderspaces rotates its exhibits on a regular basis to highlight new artists, whose works include video installations, motion, color, and sound displays and virtual reality experiences, just to name a few.

House of Eternal Return Santa Fe, New Mexico

Psychedelic storytelling comes to life at Meow Wolf's Santa Fe location. Visitors become personally invested in finding out how the story ends in this uniquely engaging experience.

Northeast Experiences

ARTECHOUSE DC in Washington DC

ARTECHOUSE installation entitled “Naked Eyes,” photo by Madame Meow

ARTECHOUSE showcases technology-driven exhibitions, bringing to life extraordinary art experiences as crafted by prominent artists in conjunction with a talented in-house production team. The result is an engaging experience that explores compelling topics and subject matter.

Midwest

Otherworld Columbus, Ohio

You will find otherworld experiences and mixed reality playgrounds at this Columbus Art Museum. Otherworld’s 32,000 square feet of art installations fill 40 rooms with wondrous visuals and intriguing interactive scenarios, created by a collective of talented artists and techies.

City Museum St. Louis, Missouri

Ranking in the Top 10 for USA Today's Readers Choice list, City Museum is housed in a spectacularly cool 10-story warehouse. Its offerings include a playground and funhouse for the kids as well as architectural displays that the whole family will find mesmerizing.

Southern U.S.

Seismique Houston, Texas

Seismique in Houston utilizes sound, color, music, and light to create captivating and mind-bending interactive art. The out-of-this-world experience features 40 different "galaxies," including twelve which are curated and created by Houston region local artists.

Factory Obscura Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Factory Obscura - SHIFT, photo by Allison Meier

Factory Obscura includes within its mission collaboration and community building. It features rotating exhibitions and has also been listed among the Top 5 immersive art experiences by USA Today.

Eager for more information about these fascinating immersive art opportunities? We'll dig into each one deeper in the coming weeks’ articles. If you're looking to explore unique original art in the meantime, check out works by talented artists which are updated weekly on our website.