LUMA is an interactive sound and light installation that was inspired by the natural phenomenon known as bioluminescence (the production and emission of light by a living organism), as well as the whimsy of childhood imagination. It was created by artists Lisa Park and Kevin Siwoff, participants of art-incubator NEW INC, and developed specifically to be on display at Red Bull Studios New York.
LUMA consists of 40 cell-responsive clusters strung strategically from the ceiling that light up according to sound collected through two microphones. The degree to which the clusters illuminate varies widely depending on the different ranges of audio. Participants interacted with LUMA from a microphone nestled within the installation, as well as one located outside of the building.
Park and Siwoff created LUMA as a result of their close working quarters at NEW INC. Their creative interests melded naturally, as Park is an artist that uses biometric sensors like brain waves and heart rate to create real-time audio visual performances, and Siwoff focuses on the interconnectivity of light and sound through the creation of new digital and physical experiences.
“A lot of us probably have this memory of breathing into the window of a car and being able to draw in your breath. That’s something we wanted to play with in seeing your voice, seeing your breath,” Said Siwoff.
NEW INC teamed up with fellow supporter of innovative ideas, Red Bull Studios New York, to showcase LUMA and other creations from NEW INC artists that demonstrate the innovative ideas that stem from fostering a non-traditional art + tech community.
Launched in 2014, NEW INC was created by the New Museum to be the first musuem-led artist incubator, where over 100 of New York’s top creatives share workspace and engage in programs that assist them in developing new ideas and business strategies. The not-for-profit platform supports the core commitment of the museum to encourage “New Art and New Ideas,” by assisting artists in exploring the intersection of culture, technology, and innovation.
For more information on the NEW INC artists, check out their website or follow them on social media.
