Issue No. 25: Spirits, Starfields, and Silver Sublime: The Weekly Wondrous World

Issue No. 25 - Greetings, intrepid explorers of the immersive frontier! As we hit the big two-five, The Experientialist isn't just celebrating a silver milestone, we're mining the depths of silver linings in the clouds of experiential arts and entertainment. Did you know that silver is the best conductor of electricity among all metals? Or that despite its tendency to tarnish, silver can easily be polished back to its original shine? These qualities mirror our approach to design, tech, commerce and culture — we aim to be a conduit for sparking ever so sparkling, brilliant ideas and illuminating discussions, while still resiliently refining our perspectives to keep them glittering with humor, humility and insight.

In numerology 25 symbolizes curiosity, adventure, and the thrill of discovery, much like the harmonious chaos we want to bring you with every issue — an experiential concoction so potent, it'll make your head spin faster than a than a dog at a squirrel convention. So lets ready and set ourselves for another journey into the experiential hinterland, where we'll balance deep dives with vibrant exploration, all while making you laugh, think, and occasionally snort your coffee.

Let's kick things off in classic style, tipping our hats to the significance of this issue number across our four pillars:

In the delightful chaos of Design, the number 25 flaunts a certain je ne sais quoi that would make even Coco Chanel raise an eyebrow. Rewind to 1925: Paris was all abuzz with the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs, where Art Deco had its glitzy coming-out party, flaunting its feathers like a pattern-crazed peacock, and turning everything from buildings to ball gowns into geometric statement pieces. Meanwhile, the Bauhaus School, never one to miss out on the fun, moved to Dessau, boldly declaring a new era of sleek and practical design with the subtly of a disco ball in a library. This dazzling year of design decadence is not just a charming footnote. Fast forward to today: We are channeling that same spirit of innovation and spectacle, only now we have projection-mapping, holograms and augmented reality to up the ante.

In the wild, whimsical world of technology, the number 25 isn't just another notch on the numerical bedpost—it's a veritable VIP with backstage passes. It's is the gatekeeper of email traffic, reigning over SMTP on network port 25 and guarding your inbox like a shadowy Nazg?l before the gates of Mordor, because someone has to keep all those enthusiastic Nigerian princes at bay. Then there's its day job in the ASCII character lineup, where 25 is the "End of Medium," the unsung hero telling ancient telecommunication systems, "That's all, folks!"—the Porky Pig of the digital world.

Commerce has a hard crush on 25, too. If you've ever wondered how much cash it takes to avoid working until you're 90, financial gurus sling around the "Rule of 25" like it’s the secret recipe to eternal youth—except it’s just a pile of money instead of a fountain. It insists you save 25 times what you spend annually, which sounds straightforward until you realize it involves actually saving money, not just moving it to a different account to spend on weekends. So, next time you're about to buy that fifth coffee of the day, remember, it's just your future self begging you to consider the generic brand.

Culturally, in Hinduism, particularly within the philosophical school of Sankhya, the concept of the "Panchavimshati Tattva" (the 25 principles) plays a significant role in explaining the creation and function of the universe. In the modern West, 25 is the age when you’re supposed to have life figured out—or at least a decent cover story. It is also the same age we realize that adulthood is a myth and we’re just tall children with credit cards. It is the number of years it takes for a single malt whiskey to reach perfection, reminding us that good things truly do come to those who wait. What are we to with all this waiting time? Gracefully, 25 is also the number of streaming services required to keep us truly entertained. Yes, from ancient rites of passage to modern milestones, 25 is a reminder that growth, celebration, and a bit of chaos are all part of the human experience.

In this issue of The Experientialist, we're taking you on a wild romp through realms where boundaries melt and fantasy reigns, from immersive theatrical experiences that might just make you believe in time travel to art exhibits that defy the very concept of dimensionality. From the quirky charm of Chance the Rapper's full-body music experience to the intricate narratives of Boomtown Festival, we'll recklessly cross, without looking both ways, into the intersection where music and storytelling collide. Whether you're dodging confetti in an artfully decrepit gallery where peeling paint becomes high art, or waltzing through a dreamscape in Jeddah that outshines the flashiest Instagram filter, this journey promises more twists than a season of Stranger Things. Don your best disguise and prepare for close encounters of the artistic kind, where every corner of our planet from Addison’s high-tech batting cages to Paris’s luminous corridors promises to redefine your reality, one dazzling experience at a time.

Yes, folks, we've somehow stumbled into our 25th issue, tripping over our shoelaces of ambition to bring you an edition with enough curiosity to fill a large, moderately interesting room. And now we stand at its threshold, or at least peering through its keyhole. Ready your browser for a digital mashup of experiential wonders where your cursor can slide down rainbows and jump over unicorns. We might not change the world, but we’ll definitely make you forget which tab your work is in.

So off we are, here were go, let's dig in...

Brace Yourselves: August and the Fringe Have Arrived

August is upon us, and so is the Fringe, crashing into Edinburgh with all the subtlety of a glitter bomb at church. Born out of the chaotic brilliance of artist-run anarchy, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society upholds the sacred trifecta of inclusivity, experimental madness, and imagination run amok. This open-access circus lets anyone with a desire and a semi-willing venue join the fray—no pompous gatekeepers allowed. The Society’s mission? To be the fairy godmother of all participants, help audiences navigate the artistic jungle, and trumpet the Fringe’s glory to every corner of the globe, keeping it firmly on the throne as the king of all arts festivals.

An Art Exhibit on a Whole New Dimension

The largest teamLab Borderless in the world has crash-landed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and calling it enormous is like calling the sun a bit warm. This 12,000-square-meter spectacle of lights, sounds, and interactive art makes other exhibits look like doodles on a napkin. With over 650 projectors and enough LED lights to power a small galaxy, ?it morphs your movements into a brilliant display that could move even the most stoic art critic to tears. BeWunder's tech alchemy paired with teamLab Inc.'s artistic genius has birthed an immersive wonderland so grand, it practically challenges the very fabric of reality itself. Inavate (7 minutes)

Artful Decay

Rone's "TIME ? RONE" exhibition turns Perth's Centenary Galleries into an art lover’s dream of stylish decay, with murals that make peeling paint look chic. Over 12 rooms, visitors encounter large-scale portraits amid vintage furniture and architectural relics, enhanced by Nick Batterham’s atmospheric soundscape. This exhibit encourages you to find beauty in the past’s leftovers and craft your own narrative of artistic ruins. designboom (4 minutes)

Scoops up, peeps! TIME ? RONE by Rone?(@r_o_n_e) is showing at the Centenary Galleries in Perth, Australia from June 28th – September 30th, 2024.

Mysterian’s Twisted Tales

The Immersive Art Collective (IAC) lifted its metaphorical curtain this Sunday with a night of side-splitting spookiness. "Mysterian’s Mysterious Mysteries" latest offering combined the eerie tales of the Fox Sisters and the Roswell UFO incident into a comedic historical mashup. Ian Heath, in a charmingly absurd one-man-show performance, delivered a mix of horror, comedy, and intrigue with a PBS-meets-Mister-Rogers vibe. Held at L.A.’s Count’s Den, "Mysterian’s Mysterious Mysteries" encourages costumes, interaction with quirky exhibits, and an evening of unforgettable, over-the-top performances. IAC (6 minutes)

Interstellar Retail Adventure

In the land where excess is an art form, Dubai's Aya Universe turns mall-going into an intergalactic escapade. Skip the mundane Gap stores and stroll past pretzel stands straight into a neon garden where stars bow to your whims and rivers gleam with psychedelic hues. The 40,000 square feet of mind-bending enchantment where you can literally drift through starfields and dance in luminous gardens is enough to make even the most cynical shopper might question reality and embrace interstellar joyrides. And that is HyperSpace’s goal: to conjure up a space so immersive you'll forget you came to buy socks.

Orchestras, Ostriches, and Odyssey

Planet Earth III Live sounds like Mother Nature’s way of reminding us who’s boss.?With an LED screen bigger than your living room and music by Hans Zimmer performed by the the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, it promises to make every leaf flutter seem epic. Trek from the sweltering Namib desert to the freezing Arctic, gawking at ostriches and wolves in stunning visuals all timed to the symphony's orchestral maneuvers in nature... you’ll feel like Tarzan in a tux.

Sonic Sessions

Last week, nestled in a quirky, not-so-secret location in New Orleans, Chance the Rapper decided to play teacher in a room where art meets an earthquake. (Chance the Rapper Official is what he goes by on LinkedIn, where it is important to specify that you're the verified chart-topper, not the Chance who's really good at Excel spreadsheets.) There, fans flopped onto bean bags that probably remembered the '90s better than we do, and plugged into a world where music isn’t just heard—it’s a full-body smackdown courtesy of subwoofers that could wake the dead. As the walls flickered with the ghosts of lyrics yet to hit Spotify, attendees scribbled frantically, prepping to ace the most rhythmic Q&A session ever devised. Chance the Rapper wasn't just trying to throw a listening party. He was setting up a sensory boot camp to etch his beats into your very soul, with bass that could recalibrate your heart rate, lyrics that acted like visual poetry, and an interactive grilling session that turned fans into sudden music critics. The Source (2 minutes)

Yin, Yang, and Ye Olde Medicine

Smack dab in the medicinal hub of Chengdu’s Pengzhou, Muda Architecture 's Lu Yun whipped up the Tianfu Museum of Chinese Medicine, a place so committed to the duality of Yin and Yang, it makes regular buildings look downright indecisive. The museum not only flirts with traditional Chinese philosophy but marries it with modern aesthetics, creating a space where ancient herbs and contemporary architecture go on a blind date. Here, the floors are so enlightened, they practically meditate, and the walls balance each other out like a well-tempered seesaw. This architectural marvel aims to blend the bustle of city life with tranquil vibes, making it a beacon of balance in an otherwise chaotic world. The building itself is a cocktail of opposites, mixing up open spaces with solid structures, revealing that even buildings can find inner peace. Parametric Architecture (3 minutes)

The Othership Has Landed

Othership is flipping the script on nightlife, replacing cocktails with cold plunges and saunas, so you can party without the hangover and the regretful texts. Tucked away in New York's Flatiron District (and with two locations in Toronto), this wellness wonderland offers group classes and social events that?feel like a mix of a spa retreat, a shamanic journey, and a Tony Award-winning show. Thanks to Robbie Bent's genius vision for communal well-being, we emerged not just refreshed but like invincible demigods ready to rewrite the rules of nightlife. Book a class or by a pass here.

Interactive Art for the Young at Heart

The Musée du Louvre's lesser-known cousin, the Carrousel du Louvre, is tired of living in the shadows and is dreaming big, oneirologically speaking. The "House of Dreamers" is where your Instagram feed dreams come true, and every corner screams for a selfie. It scoffs at the Louvre's stoic statues, replacing static alabaster with interactive dreamscapes that beg you to jump into the art—literally. It's a full-blown escape into a childhood fantasy with a mature twist, where you can shake what your mama gave ya on a dance floor that looks like a unicorn sneezed on it. And yes, of course there's a bubble gum pink ball pit, because what's a selfie museum without the mandatory dive into a neon plastic abyss?

Glitz, Glam, and Groceries

Just when you thought event planning couldn't get any more exciting than a PowerPoint on loop,?brands like Spotify and CIROC are constructing adult playgrounds masquerading as marketing events with the subtlety of a cannonball to the face (though they might require a GPS and a live interpreter to navigate). If you thought your last office party was fancy because someone splurged on brand-name soda, wait till you hear about Spotify transforming a warehouse into a nostalgic '90s paradise, complete with all the hits you pretend not to know by heart. CIROC’s Amalfi villa (in Malibu) was just missing a cameo by the Pope to complete its transformation. Meanwhile, Instacart turned a simple shopping experience into a carnival game because, apparently, we can't even buy groceries now without a side of spectacle. It seems attending a brand activation these days requires you to suspend disbelief and your sense of time and place. If escapism were a sport, these brands would be in the medal round. BizBash (5 minutes)

Serious Ambitions, Hilarious Outcomes

Julia Masli's desperate quest to morph from an award-winning clown to a Nobel laureate is going about as well as her transition from Estonian comedy queen to London’s savior of sob stories. With a trophy case that's unintentionally hilarious and a series of events that sound more like a comedy roast than a humanitarian mission, her show 'ha ha ha ha ha ha ha' sounds like a perfect blend of career crisis and comedy gold. The Cut (5 minutes)

Field of Screens

Who said art can only thrive in the big cities? The Museum of Art + Light in Manhattan, Kansas—aptly nicknamed the Little Apple—is putting itself on the map, not with corn sculptures, but with a sanctuary for digital art lovers that has more projectors than a tech startup. They're making a $60 million bet that digital art can turn the prairie into a pilgrimage site for the art world. The museum aims to woo 175,000 visitors a year and, if so, might just turn cowboys into culture vultures! artnet ( minutes)

Theater of War

Time running out to see our friend (and, among much else, part of the Emursive Productions team responsible for "Sleep No More's" New York run) Randy Weiner's latest contribution to the experiential arts. With "Seeing You," Randy turns a warehouse near the High Line into a World War II time capsule—confetti cannons included—blurring the line between audience and actor faster than your average Meatpacking District nightclub. While some immersive theaters give you a light tap on the senses, Randy’s latest foray slaps you with a confetti cannon close enough to taste the victory. Navigate through a crowd, get medically assessed by an overly enthusiastic nurse, and catch faux blood packets—if that doesn’t spell a fun Saturday night in New York, what does?

Scoops up, peeps! "Seeing You," Created and directed by Randy Weiner and Ryan Heffington, is scheduled to run through August 31, 2017 at 450 West 14th?Street. Get your tix.

Masques of Fortune

Randy isn't the only member of the Emursive Productions cabal shaking the drama tree. Inside the ornate confines of Conwell Tower in the heart of Wall Street, Emursive's newest production, Life and Trust, unfolds across an immense 100,000 square feet, inviting visitors into a theatrical labyrinth depicting the rise and fall of an American tycoon. Set against a Gilded Age backdrop, the show merges historical intrigue with supernatural elements, as audience members chase the interwoven fates of 24 characters and narratives through a myriad of intricately designed rooms, including opulent ballrooms, gritty back alleys, midnight gardens and moonlit oceans. This grand-scale narrative plays out through movement alone, punctuated by scenes that capture the essence of an era riddled with Faustian bargains and capitalist conquests.

Scoops up, peeps! Life and Trust is running at the Conwell Tower at 69 Beaver Street. Get you tix.

Dawn of a New Day

It's no longer just the snakes and spiders jazzing up the Australian outback. Uluru has stepped into the spotlight with a dazzling display of indigenous art projected onto its ancient face. Thanks to the genius of three Anangu artists and some snazzy lasers, the great red monolith is now serving up a cultural light show that could easily be mistaken for an alien landing, complete with a soundtrack that harmonizes as perfectly with the outback as Vegemite does with toast. So, if you're tired of the urban grind and hungry for something that feeds the soul as well as the Instagram feed, this desert disco at dawn might just be your jam. Book your journey here.

Behind Every Art Piece, A Hundred Hands

To the untrained eye, the National Gallery of Canada is a tranquil temple of art, but behind the "Do Not Touch" signs, it's more like a bustling airport terminal. Here, art handlers choreograph a ballet of beams and brushes, ensuring that every artwork—from pencil sketches to massive sculptures—lands safely and sensibly in its designated spot. It's a blend of brawn and brains, where every installation is a high-stakes game of artistic Jenga played by a team who knows the price of a misplaced brushstroke. National Gallery of Canada (4 minutes)

Preserving Psychedelia

Denver's Lumonics Legacy Project is taking the term "retro revival" to new, illuminated heights, aiming to preserve the trippy brilliance of Mel and Dorothy Tanner’s 1969 light sculptures. Barry Raphael and Marc Billard, the dynamic duo now in their seventies, are fundraising $30,000 to breathe new life into over 200 stored sculptures, all while hosting immersive shows that would make Burning Man blush. Their ultimate goal? Create an art center so dazzling, it could turn any skeptic into a starry-eyed believer.

Scoops up, peeps! To support the ongoing Lumonics Legacy Project, see the?Spotfund campaign website.?Lumonics Immersed?happens at 8 p.m. every Saturday, Lumonics Light and Sound Gallery, 800 East 73rd Avenue.

Where Sliders are Served Both Over and On the Plates

Forget the grungy old batting cages where the smell of old gym socks lingers longer than a seventh-inning stretch—Batbox is bringing a whole new ball game to the LBE sector, turning baseball into a social event you'd actually want to post about. Armed with fancy simulators and a dream to fill every nook and cranny of North Texas with high-tech baseball experiences, Batbox isn't just pitching a vision, they're aiming to knock the whole concept of a sports bar out of the park. With a plan to spread to 25 U.S. cities faster than you can say "peanuts and Cracker Jacks," Batbox is all about swinging big, and going for light-speed exit velocity off a $7.3 million raise and the undying hope that everyone wants to hit digital home runs while sipping artisanal beers. Dallas Innovates (3 minutes)

August Guides to Everything Experiential

Can't get enough? Check out our curated selection of go-to spots for everything experiential, spanning from world-famous cultural icons to the mysterious lands where dragons might be cooking up their next adventure.

WXO - World Experience Organization: As summer swings into full spectacle mode, the WXO is here to tell you that there's more to August than sunscreen and BBQs. Delve into the surreal at Burning Man, where desert delirium meets Alice in Wonderland, or let your brainwaves surf the soundwaves at the Royal Opera House, courtesy of Professor Brian Cox and an 86-piece orchestra. For those seeking quieter thrills, the Dream Hotel Room in Basel promises to turn sleep into an Olympic sport of subconscious gymnastics. WXO (20 minutes)

XP Land: As the Olympics turn every casual viewer into a temporary sports fanatic, the world of experiential events isn't just sitting on the sidelines this August. And the experiential connoisseurs at XP Land have it covered, from the culinary showdowns at Yes Chef Food Fest—where Instagram eats first—to the surreal sands of Burning Man, where reality is more optional than pants on laundry day, it’s clear the dog days are anything but sleepy. Strap in for a wild ride from the chill of Edinburgh's theaters to the sizzle of Chicago's Lollapalooza, proving once more that when it comes to summer entertainment, more is more. XP Land (7 minutes)

No Proscenium : Noah Nelson and crew serve up a fresh batch of immersive experiences that range from the absurd to the sublime, including an introduction to the comedy of errors that is Julia Masli's life, a river ride through a digitalized Smoky Mountains, and a Regency-era matchmaker in Vegas. From clowning around with existential crisis awards to floating through a tech-enhanced lazy river, and dancing at a Jane Austen-themed ball, it's clear that reality has left the building. No Proscenium's latest lineup makes the Island of Misfit Toys look like a conference on quantum physics. Everything Immersive (4 minutes)

Physical.Digital : Light, that glorious universal symbol of life and all things bright, is taking center stage in the latest issue of physical.digital. Dorothy Di Stefano and Lee Billington dive deep into the radiant mind of artist Frankie Boyle , whose work with light transcends language barriers and dazzles the senses. Their interview explore how her luminous creations turn simple photons into profound, emotion-evoking art, all while making you contemplate the very essence of illumination. They also spotlight other brilliant light artists, ensuring your path to enlightenment is well-lit. Plus, get ready to rekindle childhood wonder with their look at the upcoming "The NeverEnding Story" remake. physical.digital (10 minutes)

On the Horizon

Happily Fest (Los Angeles, August 14 - 16, 2024) is where the amazing Sarah Shewey gathers experiential visionaries to explore uncharted cultural territories and inspire the youth to question the social, economic, and environmental chaos we create when humans congregate. Think of it as the Comic-Con for critical thinkers, where the costumes are business casual and the superpowers involve sustainability and social impact. Going? Drop Lou Pizante a DM and let's meet up!

Every August, Edinburgh morphs into the epicenter of global creativity with the Festival Fringe(August 2-26), a three-week-long fiesta of artistic mayhem. Performers transform the city into their stage, utilizing everything from traditional theaters to makeshift venues like parks and buses. This vibrant explosion of talent features big-name stars and fresh faces, covering an array of genres that include theatre, comedy, dance, music, and beyond.

The Boomtown Festival (Matterley Estate, August 7-11), returning this year under the banner of "Revolution of Imagination," is the UK countryside's answer to immersive, theatrical wonder. It's a music festival like no other, blending spectacular performances with an ever-evolving storyline where attendees can dive into the narrative and even change its course. With grand opening and closing ceremonies, a dedication to sustainability, and 75,000 revelers, Boomtown is an epic saga, each year building on the last with intricate sets, live actors, and a commitment to environmental and social progress.

Burning Man returns to the Black Rock Desert from August 25 to September 2, transforming into a vibrant, temporary city celebrating radical self-expression and community. What started in 1986 with 35 friends on a San Francisco beach has evolved into a bustling desert metropolis drawing 75,000 attendees. This year's theme, "Curiouser & Curiouser," promises a fantastical mix of creativity and inclusion, all under the guiding principles laid out by founder Larry Harvey and continued by Kim Cook.

Go Beyond (Solvang, October 4-6, 2024) is a retreat from reality where business leaders gather to recalibrate their compasses in an age of constant flux and boundless creativity. Spearheaded by the dynamic duo Mishawn Nolan and Wendy Heimann-Nunes, and designed and produced by Claus Raasted, the genius behind the College of Extraordinary Experiences, this weekend promises to be an alchemical blend of innovation, transformation, and relationship-building. It's the kind of gathering where brainstorming sessions could rival Shakespearean drama, minus the tragic endings and with much better snacks.

Let's Dive Deeper Together

Hey there, we are Lou Pizante and Maria S Redin, co-founders of The Experientialists and the curious minds behind our mothership newsletter: "The Experientialist." This newsletter is our playground, a place where art, technology, commerce and culture dance together. But it's not just about what we have to say – it's about sparking conversations, learning from each other, and growing our collective knowledge.

We are always on the lookout for fascinating new experiences, innovative ideas, and intriguing perspectives. If you've got a story, a project, or a brainwave that you're itching to share, or if you're just keen to chat about the latest in immersive art/entertainment or groundbreaking tech, we're all ears.

Why not reach out? Let's connect and explore these fascinating intersections together. Drop us a message at [email protected] and let's see where our conversation takes us. And please follow us on LinkedIn. We are looking forward to hearing from you!