Shimmering lights drifting as elm seeds in the wind, luminous strings of light shifting between man-made and natural structures, dandelion seeds melding with brass and light. These represent the possible installations that you can experience at Studio DRIFT’s new exhibition, Fragile Futures, in New York City presented by Superblue. Located at The Shed, an innovative arts center on the westside of Manhattan, this exhibition is a combination of live performance, custom soundtracks by ANOHNI, and surreal exhibitions combining the grace of nature with the technological developments of man.

DRIFT, ​​Fragile Future, 2007 – 21. Dandelions, LED lights, phosphor bronze, printed circuit board. Dimensions variable. Photo: Dario Lasagni.

In a previous conversation with Studio DRIFT, a collaborative effort between artists Ralph Nauta and Lonneke Gordijn, they challenged the concept of a division between the wonders of nature and the creations of man. Instead, technology should be seen as, essentially, an isolated part of the chain of stimuli that makes up the natural world that surrounds us every day. Technology is not a division from nature, but instead an extension of it that should reflect these natural processes.

This concept is certainly demonstrated in this exhibition, open for viewing until the 19th of December. Their central work in this exhibition is Drifters, overing four stories and almost 1600 square meters of The Shed. Before reaching the levitating physical monolith, guests will experience several films with these drifting blocks as they search for their origin and purpose through different environments. These films lead to the levitating ‘drifter’ and on select dates of the exhibition, this monolith is joined by other blocks in a choreographed, midair dance, providing a ‘surreal immersive performance’. This performance is also accompanied by a soundtrack provided by ANOHNI, who has performed in opera houses and with symphonies around the world.

DRIFT, Drifters, 2018. HD video (4k), color, sound, 11 min., 11 sec. Photo: Dario Lasagni.

If you are in the New York area and are interested in this experience, please visit The Shed’s website for ticketing information. Special performances will take place on October 23 and 24, November 12-14, 19-21, 26-28, and December 3-5, 17-19. We especially recommend visiting on these dates to get the full experience!

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