Liz Collins: Energy Field

Designed for congregation, conversation, and study, Liz Collins — Energy Field is the first in a new Tang series that asks artists to imagine what a museum community space can be. Located on the Tang’s mezzanine, Energy Field is a long-running installation created as a lounge and social space for visitors and students. During the 2015-16 academic year, Energy Field has been the site of meetings, public dialogues, improvisational dance performances, sonic meditation, and more.

Energy Field is designed to revitalize the lounger/visitor through color, shape, and texture. It is a new age crystal cave viewed through a pop post-modern lens. With exploding supernovas on the ceiling, chevrons on the wall, and stripes on the floor, the brash sharpness is offset by plush carpeting, raining yarn, and upholstered furniture. Energy Field is a liminal space intended to invite both prolonged exploration and rest. A mirrored wall extends the room into the next dimension while at the same time functioning as a grounding device, i.e., "I am here now. Here I am."

Highlighting the nature of Energy Field as a space for interconnections to flourish, Collins invited artist friends to become Guest Artists within the installation; she asked them to explore and be in dialogue with her installation via their own artistic practice. Setting the stage for this series of dialogues with the space, Collins presents her personal community of artists and friends through a selection of books, magazines, ‘zines, and comics they created and provided.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.