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The Daedalum by Architects of Air is not your typical art exhibit.
Named after “Daedalus,” the architect for the Labyrinth of King Minos in Greek mythology, the Daedalum is a cavernous, balloon-like structure composed of 19 domes that will be inflated each day during Rochester Fringe Festival, September 10-21. Inside the Daedalum, visitors move through an immersive experience of art, where they are met with an amalgamation of vibrant lights and a soothing, ambient soundscape.
“You're fully in this spherical amorphous blob of different colors, temperatures and sounds. I think it snaps you out of reality and into yourself,” said Devanshi Mehta, who attended the Daedalum when it was in residence at UC Santa Barbara in 2023.
Since 1992, more than three million visitors in over 40 countries have experienced Architects of Air’s monumental luminaria, which is designed by Alan Parkinson and handcrafted in Nottingham, England. Mado Ehrenborg, managing director of Architects of Air, describes the luminaria as a cocoon-like experience of art that falls somewhere in between being at home and in a museum. All visitors remove their shoes upon entry, and there is a continuous flow of around 80 people at all times; both a communal and private journey through the structure.
“There's no social differences once you're in there … and I think that's part of its success,” Ehrenborg said. “It's a common language that everybody has, because it touches the senses, the emotions.”
Visitors may also embark on their passage through the Daedalum however they choose. Some might lay down on their back and watch the structure “breathe” as it deflates and inflates with the opening and closing of the entrance door. Others might simply walk through the site and explore the changing colors. Ehrenborg said some people have even chosen to crawl through.
“What people get out of this is something totally different to what they're used to in their day-to-day lives,” she said.
It doesn’t matter how one chooses to explore it; what really sets this exhibit apart from others is the way the space communicates a sense of universal wonder. Last year, Mehta entered the exhibit without knowing a single thing about it.
“Oftentimes, art feels inaccessible because of the lack of context around it,” she said. “Something that was really important about this was that, regardless of who you were or if you've ever seen an installation before, you were able to engage in the most authentic way for you.”
For this reason, inclusivity is key to Architects of Air. Not only is the experience open to adults and children — though attendees younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult — it is also open to anyone with accessibility needs, such as the use of a wheelchair or a service dog.
Ehrenborg emphasized the expectation for visitors to respect both the structure and the different ways people choose to experience it. While this awe-inspiring tunnel of light acts as a zone of spatial and communal mindfulness, the Daeldalum also gifts visitors with an opportunity for introspection.
“It was so internal for me. It changes your experience depending on where you are in your life,” Mehta said. “I would 100% go back if I could.”
Daedalum: Architects of Air | One Fringe Place (Corner of Main & Gibbs) | September 10 - 21 | All ages | $7
Colette Goldstein is a Goldring Arts, Style & Culture Journalism graduate student at the Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University. The cohort previewed Fringe as part of a summer class.
Named after “Daedalus,” the architect for the Labyrinth of King Minos in Greek mythology, the Daedalum is a cavernous, balloon-like structure composed of 19 domes that will be inflated each day during Rochester Fringe Festival, September 10-21. Inside the Daedalum, visitors move through an immersive experience of art, where they are met with an amalgamation of vibrant lights and a soothing, ambient soundscape.
“You're fully in this spherical amorphous blob of different colors, temperatures and sounds. I think it snaps you out of reality and into yourself,” said Devanshi Mehta, who attended the Daedalum when it was in residence at UC Santa Barbara in 2023.
Since 1992, more than three million visitors in over 40 countries have experienced Architects of Air’s monumental luminaria, which is designed by Alan Parkinson and handcrafted in Nottingham, England. Mado Ehrenborg, managing director of Architects of Air, describes the luminaria as a cocoon-like experience of art that falls somewhere in between being at home and in a museum. All visitors remove their shoes upon entry, and there is a continuous flow of around 80 people at all times; both a communal and private journey through the structure.
“There's no social differences once you're in there … and I think that's part of its success,” Ehrenborg said. “It's a common language that everybody has, because it touches the senses, the emotions.”
Visitors may also embark on their passage through the Daedalum however they choose. Some might lay down on their back and watch the structure “breathe” as it deflates and inflates with the opening and closing of the entrance door. Others might simply walk through the site and explore the changing colors. Ehrenborg said some people have even chosen to crawl through.
“What people get out of this is something totally different to what they're used to in their day-to-day lives,” she said.
It doesn’t matter how one chooses to explore it; what really sets this exhibit apart from others is the way the space communicates a sense of universal wonder. Last year, Mehta entered the exhibit without knowing a single thing about it.
“Oftentimes, art feels inaccessible because of the lack of context around it,” she said. “Something that was really important about this was that, regardless of who you were or if you've ever seen an installation before, you were able to engage in the most authentic way for you.”
For this reason, inclusivity is key to Architects of Air. Not only is the experience open to adults and children — though attendees younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult — it is also open to anyone with accessibility needs, such as the use of a wheelchair or a service dog.
Ehrenborg emphasized the expectation for visitors to respect both the structure and the different ways people choose to experience it. While this awe-inspiring tunnel of light acts as a zone of spatial and communal mindfulness, the Daeldalum also gifts visitors with an opportunity for introspection.
“It was so internal for me. It changes your experience depending on where you are in your life,” Mehta said. “I would 100% go back if I could.”
Daedalum: Architects of Air | One Fringe Place (Corner of Main & Gibbs) | September 10 - 21 | All ages | $7
Colette Goldstein is a Goldring Arts, Style & Culture Journalism graduate student at the Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University. The cohort previewed Fringe as part of a summer class.
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