Travel the Universe at ARTECHOUSE’s “Beyond the Light” Exhibition Opening September 15

ARTECHOUSE partnered with NASA to provide a stunning look into our universe.

Raging storms on distant planets. Towering, rainbow-hued nebulas. Sprawling galaxies. Since the first telescope was invented, astronomy has captured our imagination. Now, in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), ARTECHOUSE is celebrating generations of innovation in watching, exploring and understanding the cosmos and our place in it with its breathtaking new exhibition, “Beyond the Light.”

“Beyond the Light” debuted in New York earlier this year and will open at ARTECHOUSE’s D.C. space on Friday, September 15. Attendees will also be able to get an exclusive viewing of the gallery on October 12 with District Fray. Tickets will be available for $20 to all or for $7 to Fray Life members.

Visitors will be immersed in a cinematic narrative that encompasses primordial time, Galileo’s theories of the universe and the modern age of space exploration, all through the theme of light and how it shapes our understanding of the known universe.

“Beyond the Light” sits firmly at the intersection between art and science, and that’s intentional, says ARTECHOUSE Marketing Director Josh Feldman.

“This is a gorgeous cinematic story, but packed into it is this data: It’s all scientifically accurate,” he says. Beyond just wowing visitors, “when it comes to science, the most important thing is to get it right.”

ARTECHOUSE worked with NASA’s leading experts, including astrophysicists, heliophysicists and NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio throughout the development of “Beyond the Light.”

“The debut of the James Webb Space Telescope was a game-changer,” says ARTECHOUSE Executive Creative Director, Riki Kim. “Beyond what Hubble showed us, the universe unraveled in greater detail and clarity.”

 

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The exhibition is accompanied by an original score by award-winning composer Mehmet Ünal, who took inspiration from the universe quite literally, using a cutting-edge instrument that interprets the atomic light spectra of the periodic table — what we use to create images from space — into sound frequencies. Each element reverberates with a particular tone, creating a wholly original musical tapestry. As part of the opening celebration on Friday, Ünal will perform the score live with his ensemble, along with a local quartet from the Washington Project for the Arts.

Since its opening in 2017, ARTECHOUSE has been known for turning images into deeply felt experiences — and images from space are both perfectly suited for this purpose and a challenge to get right, says Feldman.

“When you’re looking at those images of stars and galaxies, what you’re seeing there isn’t necessarily a photograph — a section of space emits specific data, which is captured by electromagnetic technology, and then comes back to astrophysicists that analyze and depict it.”

ARTECHOUSE’s team worked meticulously to project the images with their full clarity and accuracy (using the largest seamless megapixel count in the world), to create a feeling of three-dimensionality for visitors — as though they can reach out and touch galactic formations like the Tarantula Nebula or the Cosmic Cliffs.

“By integrating science-based design, we aim to push boundaries and reveal more than what meets the eye, showcasing the wonders that lie beyond the light we see today,” Kim says.

The title piece of “Beyond the Light” is also accompanied by six other multimedia installations that explore our planet and immediate solar system — including the moon, the Mars rover, climate science and much more.

“I hope this ignites the astronaut in all of us — that everyone can feel that childlike curiosity for exploration,” Feldman says. The cosmos connects us, he says: “The excitement of interplanetary discovery is something that we can all relate to, and there’s a beauty in that.” 

“Beyond the Light” opens at ARTECHOUSE on Friday, September 15. Tickets start at $25 for the and can be purchased here. Get an exclusive look at the exhibit on October 12 with District Fray. Tickets are available for $20 or $7 for Fray Life members here.  

ARTECHOUSE: 1238 Maryland Ave. SW, DC; artechouse.com // @artechouse

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Haley McKey

Haley McKey is an artist and friend to the wild living and working in the DMV. As an area native, she has seen DC grow and evolve over the course of her life. She loves writing about art, music, animals and our environment, especially the city's dedication to conserving wildlife habitat. When she's not writing or working, she's painting and drawing. She loves a sour cocktail.