While Terrence Malick happily toils away on year five of editing his Biblical epic The Way of the Wind, he’s found a number of artistic diversions in recent years. The latest is an epic-looking interactive exhibit that finds him reuniting with his Knight of Cups, Song of Song, and Voyage of Time collaborator Cate Blanchett, while also boasting contributions from Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood.
Premiering at Australia’s ACMI and what looks to be an expanded version of the Tribeca premiere Evolver, Marshmallow Laser Feast: Works of Nature “illuminates the hidden forces surrounding us, revealing the sublime through sensory journeys beyond our everyday perception. From the roots of a majestic Amazonian tree to the unseen branches of the body and the birth of galaxies, this hypnotic, immersive experience explores the rhythm that cultivates and connects all life – breath.”
Featuring five major digital artworks, the experience features “guided meditation, large-scale screen works and interactive experiences,” in which “visitors evolve from droplets of water to plants, cells and stars, becoming part of the cycle of life and the cosmos.” Sounds delightfully Malickian, including this description that could be voice-over in one of his films: “Using creative technology to deepen our understanding of, and connection to, the world around us, Marshmallow Laser Feast reminds us that we’re just one species in a shared ecosystem and asks, what can we learn from nature to prepare for the future?”
The artworks were executive produced by Malick while narration comes from Cate Blanchett, and there’s also poetry by Daisy Lafarge and music by Jonny Greenwood, Meredith Monk, Jon Hopkins, the late Jóhann Jóhannsson and Howard Skempton.
“We are honoured to collaborate with ACMI’s curatorial team, to create this unique new presentation of our major artworks. Our artistic practice is a constant journey of discovery into the world beyond the limits of human senses,” said Marshmallow Laser Feast Partner and Director, Ersin Han Ersin. “Our passion for ecology, astronomy, and technology has driven us to collect tree data in the Amazon, explore the sound of black holes, and scan the entirety of the human body in microscopic detail, then transforming these explorations into transcendent, immersive experiences.” He added, “We are excited to share our work with ACMI’s audiences and to engage in a conversation about the beauty of the natural world and the wonders of the universe,” said Ersin.
See more photos below via Concrete Playground and learn more on the official site ahead of the exhibition’s run from November 23, 2023-April 14, 2024.
