Mercer Labs is formally opening the doorways to its newest immersive exhibition, Maestros and the Machines. Led by co-founder and multidisciplinary artist Roy Nachum, the present is grounded within the immortality of artwork, reimagining works from historical past’s greats by means of the instruments and expertise of at the moment.
Housed at their 36,000-square-foot homebase in decrease Manhattan, the exhibition options larger-than-life installations, infinity rooms, pool 360-degree projections and responsive robotic sculptures, inviting audiences to step in and past the gilded body with works shift and react in actual time.
Increasing on the conceptual ambition, 4D soundscapes function guiding lights, shaping the emotional rhythm of the room-to-room expertise. Mercer Labs enlisted pioneering producer Timbaland to deliver the aural dimension to life, filling the area with a cinematic rating, woven with operatic swells and atmospheric textures.
Forward of the opening of Maestros and the Machines, we sat down with Nachum and Timbaland to speak about merging mediums, their collaborative synergy and what it means to make artwork within the age of machines. Learn on for the total dialog and head to Mercer Labs’ website for particulars on the present.
Mercer Labs
Mercer Labs
Are you able to inform us the story of the way you two first met?
Timbaland: We met years in the past by means of a superb good friend of mine. I began seeing Roy’s work earlier than he began blowing up, from quite a lot of artists who invested in him early. Some time in the past, he was telling me concerning the thought for this museum and noticed that I’m heavy on expertise. He invited me to take a look at the area, and now we’re right here.
Roy Nachum: Rising up, I at all times appeared as much as Timbaland. The way in which he approaches music and sound is so inspiring. To me, he’s a dwelling legend, nearly like a large sculpture. After we first met, I used to be nervous simply to be subsequent to him.
T: Similar for me. Roy was at all times doing issues that no person else was. I work effectively with folks like him, individuals who see the world in a different way. It permits for this wonderful synergy of artwork and music.
Mercer Labs
Mercer Labs
Mercer Labs
What was the method for growing the visuals and sounds for the present?
T: The wonder about working collectively is that Roy’s work actually speaks to me, even with out all of the transferring components. He despatched me renders, and I gave him variations of what I envisioned for every room. That doesn’t occur to me with simply any image, however he understands how I see his artwork.
RN: Once I obtained the sounds from Tim, I might see a narrative — it was emotional. The sensation from these sounds moved me and helped me deliver the visuals to life. That was an amazing second since you give and also you get, and also you by no means know what the ultimate product might be, however on this case, it opened my thoughts. It was actually wonderful.
Each of you share an optimism and curiosity for rising applied sciences. How has working with these instruments formed your respective approaches to your work?
RN: As artists, time is so valuable. Now we have a lot to deliver to this world, and time flies. Know-how will help us execute and work with the rhythm of at the moment – that’s what this museum is for. I feel it’s a superb factor to make use of your instruments to get extra, see extra, and create extra. We solely have one life.
T: When I attempt to clarify fashionable expertise to folks, I get eggs thrown in my face. I get it, we’ve been skilled to suppose a method, and so it’s arduous to untrain your thoughts. However now, folks come and wipe off the egg as a result of they’ve discovered that it’s not a menace, however a software.
“Style is essential. Know-how doesn’t imply something for those who don’t have style.”
Style is essential. Know-how doesn’t imply something for those who don’t have style. In the event you’re an artist, your picture isn’t going to look “AI-generated” as a result of you know the way to work the machine. We reside in a prompting world, however for those who don’t have the attention or pure capability, my immediate means nothing to you.
I’m not creating something new, I’m simply telling you to see issues in a brand new gentle: unplug your thoughts and plug it again up differently.
RN: I perceive that AI just isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. My finest good friend rising up, he’s a photographer. We took images collectively, and regardless that we had been in the identical place, his turned out extremely, whereas mine appeared like shit. Finally, time handed, and digital cameras got here, however he didn’t need to contact them. I used to be urging him to attempt it as a result of why not? I’m not saying this shift was a superb or unhealthy factor, however I’m interested by elevating a query of chance.
Mercer Labs
Mercer Labs
Mercer Labs
What was essentially the most rewarding facet of this collaboration, whether or not or not it’s an expertise, paintings or normal takeaway?
T: For me, it is a dream come true, and we’re the primary to do it. Simply seeing this come to gentle and beginning this venture, that’s what I’m most enthusiastic about. We talked about this two years in the past, and Roy reached out to me three weeks in the past. It solely took me sooner or later to compose all this. The sounds, all of them got here from my thoughts, however I simply must know how you can use expertise to pump my ideas.
RN: As artists, there are errors that we’re trying to have, proper? You’re doing one thing, after which, abruptly, it doesn’t go as deliberate. However when you’ve got style, the suitable course to pivot in. All people can maintain a digital camera, however it’s very uncommon that somebody’s a superb photographer.
