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Located at 32 Mercer Street, the Happy-Go-Lucky immersive art exhibit aims to spread happiness, confidence, and positivity to all its guests. Presented by Sunnyhues Entertainment, the pop-up interactive exhibit first opened its doors in Soho during the summer of 2018 for around one month before moving to Los Angeles. Once more, Happy-Go-Lucky has returned to New York City and will be open from June 23rd to August 18th, 2021.
As a multimedia exhibit, its programming expertly combines lighting, projection, sculpture, sound design, and optical illusions to transform ordinary spaces into unique sensory experiences. In particular, the exhibit was designed to seamlessly combine technology, humanities, and the arts together. At the Happy-Go-Lucky exhibit, guests are given the perfect opportunity to revel in the romances of life. This summer, the exhibit will feature eight themed rooms which include The Kaleidoscope, The Diamond Palace, The Illusion, The Infinite, Silver Ocean, Petrichor, The Magical Forest, and Conch Flowers.
With its newest installation, The Kaleidoscope, Sunnyhues Entertainment transports guests to a world where the threads of reality have become distorted. Inspired by the classic childhood toy, the installation consists of a real-life-sized kaleidoscope tunnel made with 360° digital screens open for guests to walk through. As the colors change, light shifts, shapes morph, and patterns spin within the tunnel, the viewer’s sense of space and perception is challenged.
As one of Happy-Go-Lucky’s all-time favorite installations, The Diamond Palace brings the world of gems alive. Shaped in the style of a runway, the installation’s walls are entirely covered with diamond-shaped mirrors, providing the perfect space for one-of-a-kind optical illusions. As the mirrors expand and shift in combination with dazzling lighting effects, guests are taken on a psychedelic trip.
Another uniquely designed room included in the exhibit is The Illusion. Through an expert usage of black and yellow colored optical illusions, the installation warps the room’s space and depth. In doing so, guests are made to believe that the floor and ceiling are curving before their very eyes, leading to a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
If The Illusion wasn’t mind-bending enough, The Infinite offers guests a truly surreal experience. The installation consists of a multi-dimensional infinity mirror actualized by a grand chandelier located in the center of the room. As guests walk through The Infinite and stare at their reflections from countless angles, they are left to ponder and reflect on the life they are living. In doing so, they come face to face with our infinitely expanding world.
Connected to the exhibit’s opening this summer, many of its spaces are themed around the sunny season. One such installation is Silver Ocean, which consists of an immersive room made to give guests the illusion that they are at the beach. Filled with a giant, reflective seashell in the midst of a projection of crystal blue ocean waves, guests are made to feel as if they are floating in the ocean. Combining striking visuals with the roaring sounds of rippling ocean waves, Silver Ocean provides its guests with a serene environment away from the hustle and bustle of the New York City summer scene.
Similarly, Petrichor uses elements of the summer season as inspiration for its design. The installation is based around the earthy pleasant scent of petrichor which typically accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather. It is filled with giant flowers that move and change color, reflecting the rebirth of nature which occurs as winter turns to spring. In addition, as guests walk through the installation’s palm trees and pink umbrellas, they are surrounded by the luscious scent of blooming flowers, perfectly capturing the essence of petrichor.
The Magical Forest works to bring guests through a portal into the whimsical world of nature. In the installation, guests can view themselves projected onto a wall of television screens surrounded by tropical flora and fauna, bringing them directly into nature. Finally, Conch Flowers offers guests a relaxing environment designed to recreate one’s first experience visiting the sea. It features a six-foot tall conch shell in the center surrounded by flowers extending out of its mouth accompanied by the soothing sounds of ocean waves.
Tickets for the Happy-Go-Lucky exhibit for ages 16 and older are priced at $31 from Monday-Thursday and 35$ from Friday-Sunday. For children aged 4-15, tickets are $17, with free admission for children under the age of four. Each ticket provides guests with one hour to explore all the exhibit has to offer.
Next, check out Superreal, The Immersive Show Inside The Cunard Building.
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