3/14, Friday, 7:30-9:30pm.
Wa Na Wari commissioned and presented “GuideStar”, an immersive laser light installation by artists Mendi + Keith at Space Needle on March 14.
To be honest, I totally missed the point.
Saw 5 people dressed in white, walking slowly in the dark around International Fountain, with no particular order nor rythm, looking like floating ghosts.
4-5 people in black carrying video cameras with large microphones.
It's simucasted on Youtube.
A tented audio-visual station broadcasted music and controlled laser on top of Space Needle.
Loudspeakers were placed close by.
Advertised 30 lasers were not all visible. I never was able to count more than 10.
The light of the laser doesn't draw any patterns, only a line of color shining to the dark clouds.
Some pulsating, but no movement.
It's slow, and getting a bit boring pretty soon.
There were spectators, not many.
Walked around Seattle Center, noticed these colors when the laser shone into tree branches.
Maybe diffraction of the water drops on the trees?
Afterwards, a few gathered at Seattle Opera building for a Q&A, and served some drinks and empanadas. Only then, I was told that, these 5 ghosts were singers from out of state, and the songs were carefully chorephraphed. The commission may have cost about $300K. With such a small attendance, not sure if it's money well spent.
