Lose Yourself in Carlos Cruz-Diez’s Kinetic PAMM Exhibit: ‘Chromosaturation’
Witness the nonstop mutation of color and become a participant in artwork at the museum’s new immersive installation.
Oct 5, 2022 · 2 Minute ReadIn 2020, the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) acquired the art installation Chromosaturation by Franco-Venezuelan artist Carlos Cruz-Diez. It wasn’t until June of 2022 that the exhibit was finally unveiled to the public.
The exhibit is an artificial environment that reimagines color as an embodied experience. In 1965, the first version of the installation was complete, intending to express the ever-changing mutation of color. He emphasized the need for humans to experience color, rather than merely appreciate it on a canvas. So, after several attempts, Cruz-Diez came up with the final product, depicting years of research and experimentation to achieve the ultimate transformation experience of color and light.
The piece consists of three connected chambers, each illuminated by a different primary color of light, red, blue, and green. At first, when you enter the chamber, everything is highly saturated in a single color, exposing the viewer to a monochromatic situation, which overloads your retina, which is typically used to seeing a wide range of colors. The more time you spend in each chamber, the more the color changes. The unstable varieties of shades and light start to appear right in front of your eyes, disrupting the way we depict the origins and optics of color. Eventually, the three colors seamlessly blend as you travel through the exhibit.
The visit was a mesmerizing experience, understanding that art craves participation from the audience to genuinely appreciate the work behind it. The Chromosaturation concept is peculiar, yet fascinating, and we highly recommend taking the trip to the PAMM for a visual experience like no other.
On a budget? The museum offers free admission on the second Saturday of every month!