Attending the National Cherry Blossom Festival and appreciating the flowers while they are in bloom is a long standing tradition for D.C. locals. Because the season is short-lived, the PIXEL BLOOM exhibit in ARTECHOUSE provides viewers with a non-traditional museum experience that celebrates the blossoms long after the season's passing.
The PIXEL BLOOM exhibit merges art and digital virtual reality to create an immersive experience for viewers. The art is an enclosure that captures you — for twenty two minutes on a loop — with ethereal and harmonious sounds. Alongside the relaxing ambience of the music, ARTECHOUSE provides cushions for people to sit on and gaze upward at the millions of pixels floating about.
ARTECHOUSE is located at 1238 Maryland Ave SW. Smushed between a Pot Belly and a Starbucks awaits a sheer glass door with subtle, discreet, white letters that spell out “ARTECHOUSE.” Seriously, do not blink while driving past it or you might miss it.
Upon entering, a tour guide walks the group down a few dimly lit staircases until reaching the doors of the exhibit. Before entering a TV emerges from the wall and gives a two minute introduction and background of the exhibit. After all the rules and restrictions are explained, attendees have full access to the exhibit.
Immediately after walking out of the dimly lit stairwell and holding room, you are greeted by LED mania. Abstract art that moves in circular motions beneath your feet and through the walls around you, taking your breath away and the ability to find your balance for a moment.
As you walk through the exhibit, give yourself a moment to adjust to the space as it is a lot to take in all at once. The fast moving pixels combined with a booming sound system might be dizzying at first, but if you allow yourself a moment to adjust and maybe take a seat, you will feel comfortable and lost in the art in no time. Also make sure to check out the art in the avenues off to the side of the main attraction. The PIXEL BLOOM exhibit has a section of NFT art which is available for anyone to purchase by scanning a barcode on the description box.
ARTECHOUSE is open every day of the week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. until June 5. Sessions run every 30 minutes and viewers have up to an hour once their session begins, so it is encouraged to be punctual.
General admission is $25 per person and does not include beverages. However, if you are a student, senior citizen, military or first responder tickets are only $20. Just remember to pack a student ID or school identification to receive the discount.
When all is said and done, ARTECHOUSE will leave you spinning and thinking of art in a whole new light: being LED, neon and millions of graphic pixels that quite literally leave you spinning as your whole world moves around you. Yet, that is the beauty of ARTECHOUSE. It shows how art does not stand still, sit framed inside a box or exist as a silent experience. Art is expansive and able to alter one’s reality; ARTECHOUSE takes it to that potential.
