“The Times They Are ‘A Changing” sang Bob Dylan in 1964 and in that sense, nothing changes. Where once pubs and clubs were the automatic choice, these days younger people are looking for something new.
Head down to Bermondsey in the heart of London, and under the shadow of the towering Shard you’ll find streets that are the epitome of regenerated urban cool; behind the Victorian-era facades with grid windows you’ll find trendy bars and pubs; and through the door of one such non-descript building: a cutting-edge multi-sensory light show, called Eclipse.
Put together by Lumen Studios, founders of the well-established Lumen prize, Eclipse showcases the talents of Novotak, a Japanese/French art duo that merges the talents of visual artist Noemi Schipfer with light and sound artist Takami Nakamoto to create futuristic, immersive experiences, combing light, sound and music into something that is truly immersive.
Compared to something like Frameless, the Eclipse experience is minimalist, consisting of only three rooms. That’s not to say there’s not enough to it: it’s designed to last around an hour and at the end, you return to the first room where you can chill with drinks: numbers are staggered so it never gets too crowded.
The first room, dubbed “Highway”, consists of 24 strips of strobing LEDs running across the wall, next to a bar serving snacks and drinks. Using tech from LED specialists GarageCube, the wall consists of 25,000 individually addressable LEDs powered by a powerful M2-processor Macbook. However, while the tech might sound complex the visual and sensory impact is pleasingly direct. There’s a conscious effort not to overdo things with colour or fussy design: it’s just simple strips of pulsating light creating a hypnotic and calming feeling.
I’m told by Jack Addis, a director at Lumen, that initially there were mirrors attached to the side wall, but the effect was deemed tacky and they were removed. Indeed, couples, whether young or old, will appreciate that this is a place where you can talk and hear each other; not something you can do in a cinema or nightclub.
The second room; “Dual” offers up motion-controlled lights placed along both sides of an oblong-shaped room that move in sync with the audio creating dramatic pulsing effects enhanced by smoke. You can stand and one end and observe or walk through to get a different perspective but
The effects were created by no less than 66 Eurolite TMH B90s, with 10 speakers, two subs and amplification from Martin Audio Professional, controlled by an M2 Mac Studio.
The third room is “Hidden Shadows”, and at the launch event there were rows of chairs and the attendees sat to see Novotak perform live. While daily visitors won’t get a live performance, I was told that they will have a similar experience, albeit pre-recorded.
The due stood in front of their decks, twirling their controllers and laptops against an LED wall displaying a maelstrom of light and energy.
As an old timer, I couldn’t help thinking I was watching an updated, Cyberpunk version of the Pet Shop Boys. It possibly isn’t a comparison they would appreciate but I can only be honest. The music and light show however was more Cyberpunk Edge Runners than West End Girls, all flashing lights and moody drama. It rather put me in mind of what a meeting of the followers of the aliens from 3 Body Problem would be like.
Unlike our aforementioned 80s pop duo predecessors, Novotak’s audio is not melodic—you won’t come away humming their tunes, but it is entrancing and the D&B Audiotechnik speakers and amplification in combination with the Big Brother-like images prove highly effective. As the stone floor and exposed brick walls are deliberately untreated, and the sounds stop, start, swirl and bounce around the space wonderfully.
The effect, combined with the amorphous light and dark shapes emanating from the screen was mesmeric. It made me image what it must be like to be blasted through the particle accelerator at CERN, a Higgs Boson wearing headphones.
While Novotak’s live performance had a touch of “too cool for school” vibes there’s no denying that the result was powerful and immersive as was the exhibition itself. If you’re looking for something different to do in London, particularly something that will work for all ages, Eclipse, running daily under December 8th 2024, is worth checking out.
