Seoul-based media artist unit a’strict will debut in New York, showcasing nature-themed immersive media art in Times Square, starting July 16.

The media artist unit has expanded digital technology to the art sphere since it was formed last year. The group will present two works “Whale #2” and “Waterfall-NYC,” which will explore the theme of summer and provide chances to enjoy natural scenery even as the pandemic has restricted people from traveling in the summer vacation season. 

The immersive artwork “Whale #2” will appear on the 1,400-square-meter billboard at the Pedestrian Plaza located at the center of Times Square. The screen will turn into a 3D space and a large whale will swim in waves that move dynamically. The gigantic whale will appear for a minute at a scheduled time from noon to midnight from July 16-26.

Another media art piece, “Waterfall-NYC” will appear on the facade of One Times Square, also known as the New York Times building, located at the center of Times Square. The overwhelming 102.5-meter-tall waterfall will appear on the screen every hour for a minute. It will run from July 27 to Aug. 2.

The waterfall will be three times higher than the previous 36-meter-tall installation “The New York City Waterfalls,” presented by installation artist Olafur Eliasson in 2008.

Media artist unit a’strict, was launched by commercial design company d’strict as a loose group of artistic creators. D’strict gained global attention in May 2020 when it showcased the large-scale immersive video art installation “Wave” at the Coex K-pop Square in Gangnam, southern Seoul. A’strict freely formed based on an art project, according to the commercial design company.

A’strict showcased its first exhibition at the Kukje Gallery, a commercial gallery in central Seoul. “Starry Beach” – a three-minute video work of waves constantly rushing up and down the 6-meter wall – proved popular, attracting 17,016 visitors for the single media artwork, marking a record number for a single exhibition at the gallery.

By Park Yuna (yunapark@heraldcorp.com)