SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Squidsoup, the British artist collaborative behind the standout 2017 installation “Ocean of Light: Submergence,” will return to Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) this summer with a new installation.
Titled "Infinite," the site-specific artwork surrounds viewers with hundreds of illuminated spheres, forming a symphony of notes. Colorful light and rich sound drift and flow in clusters throughout the space, composing an immersive, ambient atmosphere that seems almost limitless.
After showing “Infinite” at the “Lost in Light” exhibition in Shoreditch, East London, Squidsoup will bring the installation to the United States for the first time, where it will open at SMoCA on June 28. Julie Ganas, curator of engagement and digital initiatives for SMoCA, who has worked with Squidsoup twice before, is excited to welcome the artist group back to the museum.
“It’s been an impactful relationship for me personally because ‘Ocean of Light’ was the first exhibition I curated at the museum,” Ganas said. “We’ve both grown our practices, so to see all they have accomplished since the first time we worked together is truly a joy.”
Squidsoup’s 2017 installation “Ocean of Light: Submergence” attracted more than 50,000 visitors to the museum, becoming the most popular exhibition SMoCA has shown to date. The group returned in 2019 with two more installations for Scottsdale Arts. “Murmuration,” which wrapped around SMoCA’s exterior, became the first large-scale, light-based installation outside the museum walls, and “Standing Wave,” an immersive audio-visual experience that simulated a wave, was installed at the Scottsdale Waterfront as part of that year’s Canal Convergence event.
While “Ocean of Light” was a rhythmic and abstract experience, “Infinite” will be calmer, utilizing the sound of string instruments. Squidsoup and SMoCA are working with Lunar Calendar, an Arizona-based production company that fuses classical chamber music with contemporary genres, to create immersive concert experiences.
“It’s been Squidsoup’s dream to use actual stringed instruments for this artwork,” Ganas said. “We’re really looking forward to working with Lunar Calendar to record new audio for ‘Infinite’ and help realize the installation as Squidsoup has always intended. It will add a site-specific layer to the artwork through local collaboration, which is super exciting!”
Based in the United Kingdom, Squidsoup’s members collaborate to create dynamic, immersive experiences. Since 1997, their work has been seen by millions of people across the globe in galleries, museums and festivals, with “Submergence” being exhibited more than 100 times on 6 continents. Liam Birtles, a member of Squidsoup, looks forward to showing "Infinite” to a U.S. audience.
“The world's quite chaotic at the moment,” Birtles said. “I think what we want to bring is a point of calm and contemplation, where people get time to have their own thoughts. It’s not about imposing something on people but giving them a moment of tranquility.”
Making “Infinite” an oasis of calm is important to Birtles and Anthony Rowe, another member of Squidsoup. They achieved that goal when the artwork was on view in London, where they watched viewers experience a range of feelings, from mediative to mesmerized. Rowe hopes those who visit the installation will feel it is a comfortable and reassuring space.
“Museums have a platform to create spaces that feel welcoming and safe,” Ganas said. “Squidsoup’s work creates a special place where people can come together and create connections, meditate or reflect.”
SMoCA — named “Best Art Museum” in the Best of Phoenix awards — is located at 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale, Arizona 85251. It is open Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdaysand Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visit SMoCA.org for information.
Admission is $13–$16 for non-members, $10–$13 for students, seniors (65+), and veterans, and free for Scottsdale Arts ONE Members, healthcare workers, first responders, and patrons 18 and younger. The museum offers pay-what-you-wish admission every Thursday and every second Saturday of the month.
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SCOTTSDALE ARTS — SCOTTSDALE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART
Scottsdale Arts is a regionally and nationally significant, multidisciplinary arts organization, offering an exceptional variety of programs through its six departments: Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), Scottsdale Public Art, Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation, Canal Convergence and Civic Center LIVE. Scottsdale Arts creates diverse, inspired arts experiences and outreach opportunities for the community while fostering active engagement with the arts among individuals, businesses, educational institutions and government agencies. Founded in 1999, SMoCA is an accredited and internationally recognized institution that encourages reflections and conversations about life through art. The museum produces and mediates creative expressions that lead to shared curiosity and meaning across a wide range of publics.
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www.ScottsdaleArts.org
Brian Passey
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Scottsdale Arts
Email: 480-874-4626
Phone: BrianP@ScottsdaleArts.org
www.ScottsdaleArts.org
