Walk into a ‘kaleidoscope’ at a digital art installation at Ponce City Market

The future pharmacy has shelves of pill bottles with empty labels where visitors can write ailments they hope future research will cure. The bottles are illuminated by color-changing rope lights that produce a sci-fi vibe. Speakers inside the container also broadcast personal recordings of past visitors discussing medical conditions they hope get funded for research.

Credit: Courtesy of Dash Studio

Credit: Courtesy of Dash Studio

While “cancer is written on the most bottles,” said Nathan Schmidt, the site manager who logs the responses in a spreadsheet, there is a wide variety of other afflictions: mental health conditions (like depression and anxiety), societal ills (like bigotry and disconnection) and personal struggles (like imposter syndrome).

The three triangular kaleidoscopes that make up the other part of the installation were each produced by different Atlanta artists. The first, titled “Tranquiloscope,” by artist and medical doctor Bojana Ginn, features digital animations that utilize neuroscience to produce a sense of calm and combat anxiety.

“It’s artwork that literally heals you,” said Dash curatorial director Coco Conroy, who helped recruit the three artists.

Credit: Courtesy of Dash Studio

Credit: Courtesy of Dash Studio

The second kaleidoscope, “Endless Embrace,” by Atlanta muralist and illustrator George Baker III, focuses on love and generosity, particularly that of individuals who undergo clinical trials to benefit others.

The last, “Knowing the Heart,” by Atlanta contemporary artist William Downs, interrogates the disparities Black men experience with heart health. According to the Cleveland Clinic, Black men have a 70% higher risk of heart failure compared to white men.

“My work … serves as a reminder of the critical need for Black men to prioritize their heart health,” said Downs in his artist statement. “In creating this piece, my intention is to inspire viewers to reflect on their own heart health and take action.”

Credit: Courtesy of Dash Studio

Credit: Courtesy of Dash Studio

“Reflections” was imagined by Dash founder and architect Courtney Hammond, who said in a press release she hopes the exhibit will serve “as both a creative journey of sensory storytelling and a dynamic way to raise awareness for important causes through the lens of artwork.”

Dash plans to resurrect the kaleidoscopes again in the future with work by three new artists.

IF YOU GO

Through April 6. Free yoga class with Lululemon, 9-11:30 a.m. March 29. The lawn at Ponce City Market, 675 Ponce De Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta. RSVP for yoga on Eventbrite.