“Haroon Mirza: A C I D G E S T” at PAMM (Miami, July 22, 2017 - July 29, 2018)

I recently visited PAMM’s exhibition “Haroon Mirza: A C I D G E S T” which explores the relationship between visual and audio sensorial experiences. As a visual artist inclined towards music and sound, I found this exhibition to be extremely thought provoking. The title of the exhibition is a word play on the term “acid test” and it relates to the parties of the 60’s where psychedelic drugs were consumed legally. Also, the replacement of the t with a g has references to the foundation of DNA structures, nucleotides. Moreover, the work is held in an enclosed double-height gallery and it was specifically designed for the space.

In comparison to other art works in the museum, upon entering the gallery through the double doors, there’s a noticeable shift which gives the impression of being transported to another dimension. The acoustics of the room change and there’s an enveloping darkness that, in combination with the sounds and lights, evokes a transcendental psychological and sensorial human experience. At first glance when walking into the room, there are 8 electrically rewired Marshall speakers arranged in a circle. The prominent sound produced by each speaker within close proximity, fades and mixes into the other. They pulsate at different tempos synchronized to an LED light affixed to the front and on top of the Marshall logo. It takes a few moments to adjust to the room because the exposure to the flashing lights in combination with all of the sounds produced contributes to an overall sensorial overload. As you approach the center of the room, the distance of each sound wave equalizes thereby creating a more noticeable synchronized humming. The sounds produced by each speaker is an electrical frequency, and they are being orchestrated and arranged from a poem which hangs on the adjacent wall. All of the possible arrangements for the word “A C I D G E S T” are listed on the scroll and while taking the time to inspect it closely, it becomes apparent that each letter has an assigned color as well as sound frequency. According to the museum, it takes 18 days to play the entire scroll. Once overcoming the potential sensorial overload, exploring the environment becomes the next logical step. The meticulous planning and thought process that went into the acoustics of the room is obvious when looking up at high ceiling. The walls are covered in a foam material which is meant to assist in the overall sound experience and minimize as well as absorb the reverberations from the speakers. Although at first glance the work appears simple and untidy, Mirza claims to take into consideration the visual aesthetic qualities of an art work. He states there’s a purpose and function for everything; including the messy cables on the floor.

Haroon Mirza was born and currently resides in London. He received a BA from Winchester School of Art and an MA from both Goldsmiths at the University of London and Chelsea College of Arts. He is a multimedia artist and his work explores the ideas of visual and audio perceptions as well as how these perceptions are affected by the environment they’re in. The artist states, “it seems we are no longer part of such a strictly ocular or visual culture. The Internet and new media are changing our behavioral patterns, and more emphasis is being placed on acoustic space. It's nowhere near the same kind of attention as is given to visual space, but it seems to be steadily growing.”

The reference to electricity in Mirza’s work recalls Walter De Maria’s land art, The Lighting Field (1977), except that by designing it into an enclosed personal space, Mirza is not referencing the sublime but rather the transformation of human psychological and sensorial awareness. He uses the environment and space which the work is set upon to stimulate different senses for the purpose of creating a unique experience which alters the way viewers perceive not only the work itself but the environment it is in.  Mirza’s use of LED lights also recalls the work of minimalist artists Dan Flavin who incorporated fluorescent lights into the gallery space in order to challenge the viewer’s idea of space. However, in his work, Mirza is going beyond visual interpretation of space by inciting additional sensory experiences to challenge psychological perception. Furthermore, there’s a scientific and philosophical approach and methodology to his work which is quite interesting because it explores ideas of how the imperceptible can be experienced through the senses and how these experiences can alter metaphysical reality. Who would’ve thought rewiring the electrical components of 8 Marshall speakers could emit the sound of electricity to transform the viewer’s awareness of reality.