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Are you afraid of the dark? After exploring Dark Matter, a new immersive art exhibition at Mercer Labs in Lower Manhattan, you just might be.
The exhibition, running on select evenings from October 4 to 30, is the brainchild of experimental artist Roy Nachum, Mercer Lab’s co-founder and creative director. Through immersive visuals, interactive displays, audio installations, oil painting and robots, Dark Matter explores the depths and darkness of the human psyche and paranormal expression. The show is available from 8pm-midnight in October; get tickets here for $52/adult.
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In creating the exhibition, Nachum drew on his own nightmares for inspiration; "the exhibit explores surreal and hypnotic themes of darkness and the human psyche and the unsettling realm of nightmares, inner demons and paranormal occurrences," he tells Time Out.
"Since the beginning of human existence, darkness has been a constant presence," he continues. "Nightmares are manifested fears, where the subconscious grapples with panic, uncertainty and the unknown, a universal phenomenon we share as humans. Inspiration is both personal and has a foundation in art and art history. The nightmare and the supernatural drive the powerful audio-visual narratives, inviting visitors to confront their fears, explore darkness and to understand how darkness has shaped art, culture and the human experience."
So, yes, expect this to be scarier than your traditional haunted house with ghosts and jump scares.
The multi-sensory, PG-13 experience consists of 15 diverse installations. Throughout Dark Matter, an audio-visual dialogue highlights strong contrasts between light and dark, through the use of groundbreaking technology, 8K projections, infinity installations, painting and robotics. A series of compelling works and immersive installations, invite "a contemplative trip into the unseen, to face our deepest fears and imaginations," Nachum said.
Since the beginning of human existence, darkness has been a constant presence.
Budget about 60-90 minutes for the walk-through museum experience.
Dark Matter dives into the concept of darkness through many facets: The darkness that resides with in us all, the subconscious, and the intangible phenomenon of dark matter or invisible forces. That concept, both unsettling and fascinating, fits into the mission of Mercer Labs, NYC's newest immersive experience space.
With 36,000-square feet of space, Mercer Labs opened in early 2024 at 21 Dey Street inside a bank building that used to be part of the now-nextdoor Century 21. Nachum, the artist behind Rihanna’s famous 2016 "Anti" album cover, created Mercer Labs with his business partner Michael Cayre, a real estate developer. The boundary-pushing space focuses on interactive and thought-provoking programming.
"The exhibition's exploration of fear and the unknown also taps into the museum's mission of creating immersive, reflective, and transformative experiences encouraging deeper connections between art, technology, and human emotions," Nachum adds. "By presenting these complex themes in a way that stimulates both intellectual curiosity and emotional responses, Dark Matter fulfills the museum’s goal of expanding the visitor's understanding of art while challenging their perceptions of reality through advanced technology and creative expression."
In addition to Dark Matter, Mercer Labs continues to feature Limitless, Nachum's inaugural exhibition. Open daily, Limitless delves into the intricate relationship between narrative and abstraction, inviting visitors to discover a new dimension of artistic interaction through technology and conceptual elements. The evolving experience invites participants to explore the world through another point of view.