20 August 2015

One Day. Carsten Holler: Decision

Ever since I was a little girl and my mum took me to the Brisbane Science Museum I've had a love of interactive exhibitions. Getting involved in galleries and art is far more interesting to me than just standing back and observing...

Hence why I was so excited when I heard Belgian artist Carsten Holler was bringing his biggest ever show to London complete with 6-storey slippery slide.


One for those who want to fully immerse themselves, this exhibit is like an action-packed theme park with a side of art. Come prepared in comfy clothes and shoes.

Upon entering the first thing you'll find is Decisions Corridors. You open the door and find yourself in a dark metal tunnel that once you've rounded the corner becomes completely pitch black.


When you've found your way out you'll emerge into the Flying Mushrooms - it's like something I imagine you'd find in the home of Lewis Carroll; straight out of Alice in Wonderland.


In the next room there's the Pill Clock where thousands of pills drip silently from the roof into a huge pile on the floor.


In the Forests room you'll find everyone lined up mindlessly watching on these headsets. What you're in for is a strange immersive experience that will play tricks with your eyes and your mind.


Meanwhile there are these robotic beds that roam around the room like they have a mind of their own. You can even book to stay in them overnight as they roam the gallery. Just think, you'd wake up in a different place - eerie.

The Pinocchio Effect is a rather strange exercise. Holler asks you to hold your nose and run a vibrator up and down your arm to see how your nose feels like it "stretches". Strangely enough it does. Who even figured this stuff out!?


There's a giant die. Dice? For those who want to roll with it... Get it!?


Now all this was certainly fun, but things were about to get a whole lot funnier. Enter the upside down goggles...


Not for the faint-hearted or those with a sensitive stomach... They really will make you feel like you're in another dimension and provided endless giggles while we stumbled around like toddlers learning to walk.

We look like something out of a low budget sci-fi movie...


Then when you've seen it all you can exit the gallery in the best way possible - via the 6 storey slide. Honestly I wish my flat had one of these... A quick slippery dip and you're back at the bottom.


Honestly it's a fab day out, book your ticket before the show ends next month.

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Photos by Krissie - forgive the lesser quality, I couldn't take my camera so it was all up to the humble iPhone 5.