Immersive art isn’t a new concept and the fad is making a comeback in the art world. It’s not enough for us to simply view art anymore, we have to be a part of it. immersify KL’s new gallery provides us just that, as the audience are able to “immersify” themselves within its art.
Hosted at The Labs in the ground floor level of Bukit Bintang City Centre, immersify KL boasts a 30,000 square feet space with 11 sections of different immersive zones. Using projection mapping and interactive installations, the South Korean-spearheaded Bitgrim Immersify Group brings us Malaysia’s first permanent, purpose-built, multi-dimensional media art gallery.
With 12-meter high walls and 360 degree spatial sounds, each zone seems to surpass itself in terms of just how creative it can be. From the Neon Jungle that has a backdrop of a Malaysian forest, the interactive ocean view in the Canvas Oceania zone, and the aptly named Glowing Garden, each section delivers exactly what it promises: excellent storytelling.
The Starlight Garden zone particularly stood out to us. With mirrors surrounding you at every angle, the kaleidoscope of colours and lights stops you in your tracks. Highly “instagrammable”, you are surrounded by luminous colours and lights that fade in and out as you lose yourself within the floating lights- literally too, as many of the audience members were seen grasping at the walls. “Where do the mirrors start and end?”, one woman was heard crying out.
Another eye-catching segment was the Illusion Road zone. Although it’s just a small, triangular section that fits one person at a time, it was worth the queue that formed outside of it. Once you step in, the technicolour lights blend in with the 180 degree mirrors to create an effect that is both trippy and stunning.
The art gallery in zone 11 particularly took us away. Featuring renowned works of Klimt, Monet and Van Gogh, it was no wonder this section was as crowded as it was. To admire such beautiful art from afar is one thing, it’s a completely different experience to find yourself stepping inside the pieces yourself.
The media gallery is open daily from 10am to 10pm. Individual tickets are priced between RM35 and RM68, and MyKad holders family packages start from RM164. For tickets and more information, log on to www.immersifykl.com.
Manisha Dharmendra contributed to this article.
