Brainstorms: A Great Gig in the Sky

The latest immersive exhibition at Frameless easily takes one’s breath away. A sensory display of the mindscape through visions of the sky in various states, from imagery of great big clouds and endless stars to even a view of the aurora borealis; Brainstorms: A Great Gig in the Sky pairs brilliant, all-surrounding visuals with the thunderous songs of Pink Floyd. It’s separated into four sections, each having its specific niche and purpose and its unique take on the magic that is the sky.

Cloud takes the title of the exhibit to heart, running through a playlist of Pink Floyd’s music catalogue and coupling the projected visuals with the supposed response of the brain to each song in the form of clouds in the sky. It really is the embodiment of a “gig in the sky”. The displays use mirror panels, giving the illusion of vastness as the band blares loud and imposing through the speakers. Even though the room is small, the endless reflections surrounding the guests create the vision of limitless possibilities, much like the mind. And while the music is upbeat and loud, there’s a serene symbiosis between it and the projected imagery. Cloud is a wonderful welcome to Brainstorm, providing a very relaxing and jazzy vibe that sets precedence for the rest of the exhibit.

Then comes Murmur. The story behind this piece is one of mother and daughter, and finding home within each other. Reading the panels explaining the purpose of each section, Murmur features two flocks of birds that are said to symbolise the movements and embrace of both. The surrounding screens of the room are that of a quiet lakeside dreamscape with the colours of magic hour as day blends into night. There’s a strong focus on the calming sounds of birds chirping, wings flapping and the quiet hum of the water, before it all fades back into early morning sunrise. The music playing is Cumulus by Imogen Heap – whose brain activity alongside her daughter’s serves as the muse for the display of flocking birds – alongside Julia Neil, Arve Henrikson, and arranged by Richard Warp. While the sequence is short, there’s a beauty in the simplicity of watching the continuous turn of day into night and night into day.

Sol follows after and uses the eclipse to relay the idea of two things converging together – in this case, it’s the sun and the mind, and the ideas borne out of this combination. The room itself is a maze of netted screens surrounded by lights and projectors. Images of the eclipse reflect upon these screens, showcasing the marvel of solar light fighting through the darkness of the vast empty skies. Anyone looking to snap a quick picture for Instagram may find themselves disappointed as the visuals are not captured well on a phone screen or camera. Being present is key to truly appreciating this particular section.

Last, but by no means the least, is Aurora. Performed to the tune of The Great Gig in the Sky – written by the late keyboardist of Pink Floyd, Richard Wright – there’s a cyclical parallel to beginning the entire experience with Clouds and ending it with Aurora. The scenes depicted are said to be the coming together of people all listening to one piece of music, the Northern Lights flaring from one corner of the room as if beckoning everyone watching to follow its trail. The walls show mountainscapes as the green rays of the aurora borealis expand to the ceiling and the floor. This exhibition might be the closest some people can get to a synthetic yet fully immersive experience of seeing the magnetic wonder. The images cycle through other awe-inspiring states of the sky: of the moon rising, a blanket of stars overtaking and once again to the Northern Lights peeking through silhouettes of the mountain bumps before it fully takes over again. The wonderful melody of the piano floods through the room as a brilliance of light washes over. Beautiful and romantic, Aurora is the perfect finishing bow on an exhibit like Brainstorm.

A show of the senses that celebrates the beauty of the sky in all its different states, this exhibition mixes an undeniable appreciation for music with brain science. Although it may falter slightly on the latter part of its ambition, lacking slightly in explaining the purpose science plays in all of this, the overall immersive experience is sensational nonetheless, whether one is a Pink Floyd fan or not.

Mae Trumata
Image: Antonio Pagano

Brainstorms: A Great Gig in the Sky is at from 7^th June until 29^th June 2024. For further information visit the exhibition’s website here.