Wonderspaces, located in the Fashion District of Philadelphia in Center City, is the embodiment of contemporaneity. This museum features sixteen constantly changing art installations. Artwork regularly changes, but they all have one thing in common: they are immersive, interactive, and sure to grab your attention.
My girlfriend and I visited several art museums over the course of our week-long spring break, one of them being Wonderspaces. Located just down the street from Reading Terminal, it was a great place to visit and very conveniently located for a pre-gallery lunch. To give you a taste of what Wonderspaces is all about, I’m going to highlight a few of my favorite, current installations:
Fuji - Joanie Lemercier
When you enter Fuji you are greeted with a dark room, illuminated by a large-scale hand-drawn depiction of Mt. Fujiyama surrounded by bamboo. On the wall, the layered drawing lights up at different points to tell an abstract narrative. Paired with loud, ambient nature sounds such as thunder and wind, this installation pulls you into an immersive world you’ll never want to turn away from.
Dinner Party - Charlotte Stoudt, Laura Wexler, Angel Soto, Skybound, Ryot & Telexist
As you approach Dinner Party you are greeted by a large dining room table adorned with meat, vegetables, and even dessert! You are given a virtual reality headset to wear as you sit and are presented with the story of Betty and Barney Hill, the couple who reported the first known UFO abduction case in 1960’s America. Here you get to see the juxtaposed experiences of both Betty and Barney, both of which are wonderfully strange, eerie, and captivating. It is a thrill to not only watch, but fully experience.
Akousmaflore - Scenocosme
As you climb the stairs of Wonderspaces, the first thing you are greeted with is Akousmaflore. This installation displayed a variety of hanging plants. The twist is when you touch them they fill the room with natural music.
The Last Word - Illegal Art
This installation relies very heavily on the visitors themselves. A large wall full of little rolls of paper, dyed red on one side, invites you to share words that were left unsaid. This could be sentiments to a loved one, the last word of an argument you didn’t get to finish, or the first thought that pops into your head. Share your own and read others, it’s a great place to let your voice be heard and hear what others have to say.
Our Top 100 - Jody Servon
Another highly interactive installation, Our Top 100 invites you to share a song and the memory you have associated with it. Share yours on a slip of paper and tack it to the wall and it will be added to a community playlist on Spotify . Check out what others added here.