A special show featuring artwork by Grateful Dead and Dead & Company percussionist Mickey Hart will run today, April 22nd on the outside of Sphere in honor of Earth Day.
Hart and renowned filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg are the latest artists to design for the Exosphere as part of Sphere’s XO/Art program. Their artwork was combined into an 11-minute content show that ran at 6:00 a.m. PT today and will run again at 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. this evening. Their art will run individually at various times throughout the day as well.
“Our XO/Art program continues to make art available and accessible to the public in a highly innovative and unique way, both in Las Vegas and around the world,” said Jennifer Koester, President, Sphere Business Operations at Sphere Entertainment. “Mickey Hart and Louie Schwartzberg are artists who utilize novel techniques to not only create impactful visuals, but also tell important stories, and we are proud to feature their immersive work in a first-of-its-kind show on the Exosphere to celebrate Earth Day.”
Hart’s contribution is entitled “Rhythms of the Universe” and consists of a 90-second visual symphony with four phases, each characterized by rich psychedelic colors and unique moving patterns. The designs were created by playing a Pythagorean monochord through a subwoofer and using the sound waves and vibrations to move paint around on a canvas.
“I’ve always felt that music has the power to connect us to the rhythms of the Earth and the universe,” said Mickey Hart. “The Sphere project is my attempt to harness those rhythms and create something that speaks to the interconnectedness of all life. It’s a visual representation of the rhythms and energies that inspire me. It is like a beat in a song, creating layers of texture and emotion on the canvas. Earth Day should remind us that we are all part of a vast, cosmic symphony, and that it is our responsibility to care for this planet and all its inhabitants.”
Schwartzberg created six 90-second pieces drawing on his roots as a documentarian. Each piece showcases the beauty of nature with footage of different organisms and ecosystems, starting with “Earth Masterpieces,” which features coral reefs, ocean views, waterfalls, and desert canyons. Another includes never-before-seen footage of lion’s mane and other mushroom species captured during the making of his 2019 documentary film Fantastic Fungi. “Seductive Flowers” features up-close views of blooming flowers, followed by “Master Pollinators”, which celebrates the crucial ecological role of birds and bees. Finally, “Organic Mandalas” uses nature imagery to create intricate circular patterns representing the life cycle, and “Nature Reimagined” takes viewers on a transcendent journey through time and space.
“I am excited to share nature’s wonders on the largest canvas on Earth,” said Schwartzberg. “These sequences make the invisible visible by exploring the foundations of Life. We start with Earth’s majestic landscapes, to soil making fungi, to flowers and their pollinators, all of which propel life to flourish. When assembled together, they tell the magical story of unseen worlds that sustain Life on Earth. This is the greatest story to tell on Earth Day. Let’s celebrate Life.”
Hart will perform at Sphere with Dead & Company this summer during the band’s 24-show Dead Forever residency. Click here for more details, and visit the band’s website to find tickets.
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