MAD Arts Unveils “Ignite” Exhibition

MAD Arts will produce and exhibit “Ignite,” Broward County’s new immersive, family-friendly art experience. The free, five-day collaborative exhibition series will debut Wednesday, January 26, and will run through Sunday, January 30. “Ignite” will feature indoor and outdoor interactive video and light installations created by celebrated contemporary artists and designers, as well as events and a discussion exploring the intersection of technology and art. MAD Arts is presenting “Ignite” in partnership with the Broward Cultural Division.

MAD Arts selected and collaborated with artists to incorporate innovative technologies into site-specific pieces for both the indoor and outdoor “Ignite” exhibits. Captivating indoor video, light and design exhibitions and installations from featured artists including David Carson, Susan Narduli and Edison Peñafiel, will be on display at MAD Arts (481 S. Federal Highway, Dania Beach). Each night, breathtaking outdoor art, and light projections by Glowing Bulbs and MAD Labs will illuminate and activate Fort Lauderdale’s Esplanade Park and the Museum of Discovery and Science’s Atrium.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with these artists and the Broward Cultural Division to bring this level of work to the Broward area,” said Marc Aptakin, CEO and founder of MAD. “MAD Arts is proud to partner with the county on this initiative, which supports both local and international artists, while highlighting the intersection of art, architecture and technology within the community’s public spaces.”

Each day, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday), MAD Arts studios will feature indoor video, light, and design installations by the following artists:

• RMNS (Remains) by David Carson is an immersive 3D projection mapping experience into the work of legendary artist and graphic designer David Carson. RMNS invites the audience to glimpse into Carson’s mind, as they explore a combination of his past, current, and future work, along with design experiments that highlight his creative process.

• States of Matter by Susan Narduli will feature a mirrored installation that envelopes visitors in a light-based transcendent immersive art experience. She imagines a future based on the synergistic evolution of physical and virtual environments, creating projects that make visible a new typology of public space.
• MAREMAGNVM by Edison Peñafiel focuses on video and immersive, site-specific, multimedia installations that create surreal echoes of our world. Informed by his own life, Peñafiel centers the migrant as a subject. While his early photography focuses on deconstruction and perception, absurdity, and politics, his shift towards multi-media installations has deepened his engagement with socio-economic and political themes.

Each night after sunset, from 6-10 p.m., Fort Lauderdale’s Esplanade Park and the Museum of Discovery and Science’s Atrium will feature breathtaking outdoor art and interactive light projections by:

• Pupae Mesh, created by artist collective Glowing Bulbs, will feature a network of cooperating light objects. Inspired by the complete metamorphosis of a caterpillar, the exhibit will showcase giant animated cocoons that communicate with each other and viewers through sensors and programming with integrated LEDs and speakers generating pulses, movement, and dynamism.
• Backscattering by MAD Labs is an exploration in 3D projection mapping, creating incredible visual experiences for all to enjoy. Through projected animations, MAD labs will transform the Museum of Discovery and Science’s Atrium interior into a digital world of creative and colorful expression, bringing the structure to life.

The public is invited to attend the “Ignite” Broward kickoff in Esplanade Park and at the Museum of Discovery & Science’s Atrium on Wednesday, January 26, at 5:30 p.m. The event will feature a food truck, music, with Broward County Mayor Michael Udine activating the art at 6 p.m. The exhibition is free and runs from January 26 through January 30, 2022. For more information, click here.