I meant an art exhibit, of course. What were you thinking?

The big museums are a good place to charge your batteries but you have to pay attention to the dozens (hundreds?) of smaller galleries that dot the city. There’s lots of satisfying work being produced that doesn’t make it into the mainstream. Plus, these smaller exhibits are less of a time commitment and, hence, less exhausting. I saw this one on my lunch hour! It beat the hell out of another baloney sandwich at my desk.

In the tiny Bridge Gallery on Orchard Street just south of Delancy, the folks at SOFTlab installed CHROMAtex.me. It was a site specific installation constructed from pieces of photo glossy ink jet printed paper. The largest portal of the piece faces the street. You feel the vortex suck you in as you walk by.

Each small piece of paper is precisely color coordinated so that once constructed, it produces a smooth blend from one shade to the next.

According to SOFTlab, there are over 4,000 pieces of paper used. As you walk around the piece, you can stick your head in the various portals and get different views of the color schemes.

Guess how the piece is held together? Binder clips! The anomaly is that the first thing you see when you walk in the gallery is how the piece is constructed. Normally, such mechanics are hidden from the viewer. The chaotic texture of the exterior is in stark contrast to the smooth interior.

The piece is suspended from the ceiling by barely visible wires, giving it a floaty, weightless feeling. How cool is that?

Thanks to JZ for pointing me in this direction. And he doesn’t even live here!