On Friday morning I had the great honor and opportunity to go to the Renwick Museum of American Crafts (part of the Smithsonian Institution) to photograph an installation piece by a friend of mine, Nick Dong, an Oakland, California based installation/mixed-media artist. His piece, “The Enlightenment Room” was chosen to be included in the Renwick’s “40 under 40” exhibit showcasing 40 hot and talented artists under the age of 40 working in “craft” media. Nick’s installation consists of a long, narrow room with the walls covered in elongated hexagonal tiles (each of which Nick made, and hand signed on the back!) . The floor and ceiling are covered in mirror tiles. The opposite end of the room from which you enter is rounded, and at the focus of the hemicircle, a mirror-based seat with a white cushion is located. In the ceiling is a series of LED lights. Sitting on the cushion triggers the lights and music, which build in intensity for approximately one minute before fading out.
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Here is a link to the Renwick Gallery’s exhibit announcement:
and here is a link to Nick Dong’s website:
I tend to be a bit of a stick in the mud when it comes to my artistic tastes, but I was truly impressed by Nick’s installation piece. Every component was extremely well thought out and seamlessly integrated to produce a singular experience.
dcphotoartist 