CHROMAtex.me is a site specific installation designed and produced by SOFTlab for the bridgegallery. The installation was designed to produce a complex environmental and spatial combination of six colors. The color is mixed in the interior of the form leaving a vibrant interior that is back lit by the gallery. The piece is inverted spatialy; the interior of photo glossy ink jet printed paper is meant to look very precise, finished, and smooth, while the exterior is textured with an array of binder clips used to hold the piece together. Rather than having a finished façade or skin that hides the method of construction we chose to invert this relationship. The first thing viewers see is the method of fabrication. As viewers move around the piece they discover the finished effects produced by the construction. Viewers experience the interior through a series of portals designed to offer a specific glimpse into the piece starting from the front of the gallery. The installation was not only designed with the interior of the gallery in mind but also responds to the street, drawing people in. The largest portal into the piece is attached to the front window of the gallery completely obscuring the interior of the gallery except for the glass door into the gallery. Viewers are invited to look into the colored interior only to enter the gallery and see an all white exterior textured in thousands of binder clips. It is this contrast that makes the portals into the piece so sensational.

The installation is made of over 4000 laser cut panels of photo ink jet paper. Each panel is a unique shape and printed with a custom color. The panels are connected using a set of over 17,000 binder clips. The shape is reinforced using a series of custom acrylic rings. The overall form is hung from the ceiling of the gallery and attached to street facing window, completely suspended in the space without touching the ground.

Design Team: Michael Szivos, Jose Gonzalez, Carrie McKnelly, Elliot White, Tyler O’Rielley, Troy Zezula, Sean Madigan, Corey Kingston

Installation: Julia Schleppe, Andrew Manart, Simon Kristak, David Gonzalez, Andrew Chen, Anthony Buccellato, Laura Vincent, Michael House, Brandt Graves, Austin Smith, Andrew Sutton, Alan Tansey, Mac Glovinsky, Robin Jones