ARTECHOUSE NYC — Attraction in New York

TLDR: After exiting this experience, some people sitting outside asked us if they should go try this event. From the outside and the marketing, it looks like a glossy, inviting and somewhat mysterious experience. We told them to spend their money elsewhere, and I would say the same to everyone reading this review.

Artechouse as a company has the start of something good going but there is a lot of work to be done before it really delivers on the intersection of art and technology like their intro video promises. Immersive artwork and artwork involving data are both two exciting emerging mediums which I believe have a lot of potential impact in the future. However, the actual experience itself leaves room for improvement.

The theme of the multimedia exhibit is "trust". While you are promised "multiple rooms" of interactive immersive data as art, in reality, there is only one large space of interest with 3 walls and floors being covered by a looping projector display of data as art. While this is a cool feat in itself, the exhibit lacked the background knowledge and context which was needed to prepare the consumer for what they were going to see. The exhibit may have been themed as trust, but it was hard to trust that the art we were seeing was not just randomly generated by a computer.

I come from a math and computer science background -- so if someone tells me that I am going to see artwork produced by data, I want to understand it and how it works. At best, Artechouse glosses over the fine details of how the artwork is actually produced and what data and correlations it is using. In reality, they took financial data and also social data which contained the word "trust" and tried to spin that into a correlation. Not only is that a little skeptical, but once you actually see the data displayed as art, the brain wants to make connections. Humans are constantly looking for meaning in interpreting their surroundings. But with so little context as to what the data being displayed was and also when the data was from, it was impossible to gain anything meaningful.

Yes it is a pretty lights display. But thats about it. The entire experience is half an hour of you sitting on a hard floor staring at a grainy display of dots pixelating around you on 3 walls. There is intense thematic music playing around you which encourages you to try to parse out something life changing from this display. The first few minutes are cool, but then you realize that there is no actual discernible story from the ill defined images cascading on the screen. It kind of felt like we were watching an old movie where the directors are trying to make it look like cool computing is going on, when in reality, nothing is happening.

Overall, a huge disappointment. This could have been done in a much more powerful way that enabled the public to not only see the correlation between historical events and social sentiment, but also learn about the power of data and applications of data analytics using...

In the city that never sleeps, beneath the bustling Chelsea Market, lies a portal to another dimension - Artechouse New York. It's a place where art and technology dance a passionate tango, creating a symphony of colors and emotions that will leave you breathless.

Artechouse is not just a gallery in the traditional sense of the word; it's a journey, a voyage into the depths of creativity and innovation. It's a place where the boundaries of reality blur, and you're invited to step into the canvas, to become a part of the masterpiece.

The moment you descend into this century-old boiler room, you're greeted by a spectacle that's as mesmerizing as a Manhattan sunset. The walls come alive with vibrant hues, the air hums with the rhythm of the digital world, and you're swept away by the sheer magnitude of the immersive project mapping.

Each installation is a universe unto itself, a story told in pixels and light. From the extraordinary imagery of the James Webb Telescope in MAGENTAVERSE to the captivating "Machine Hallucination" by artist Refik Anadol, Artechouse is a testament to the power of art to inspire, to provoke, to move.

The interactive experiences are the heart and soul of Artechouse. They invite you to reach out, to touch, to play. They challenge your perceptions, spark your curiosity, and ignite your imagination. It's a playground for the mind, a feast for the senses, a celebration of the human spirit.

But Artechouse is more than just a spectacle; it's a sanctuary. In a world that's often too loud, too fast, too much, Artechouse offers a respite. It's a place where you can lose yourself in the beauty of the digital landscape, where you can find solace in the rhythm of the pixels, where you can breathe in the tranquility of the art.

The team at Artechouse has done a commendable job in these challenging times. They've created a safe space, a haven where art and technology can thrive amidst the chaos.

Artechouse is a love letter to New York, a city that's as diverse, as vibrant, as mesmerizing as the installations that grace its walls. It's a tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, a testament to the power of creativity, a beacon of hope in a world that's often too dark.

So, if you're in the neighborhood, if you're looking for an escape, if you're yearning for a taste of the extraordinary, step into Artechouse. Let the colors wash over you, let the rhythm move you, let the art touch your soul.

Because Artechouse is not just a gallery; it's a journey, a voyage, an adventure. And like any great adventure, it's not about the destination; it's about the journey. So, come, embark on this journey, lose yourself in the beauty of the digital landscape, find yourself in the rhythm of the pixels, and discover the magic...

Don’t waste your money. Extremely underwhelming, do not recommend. Photos and their intro video are misleading on how immersive the digital art space will be. It’s not, it’s a gimmick. It’s just one room full of projectors (not state of the art) with only one touch screen that slowly changes the colors of a screen behind the bar. It’s great in theory of collaboration, but it’s insulting to other exhibits around NYC. It’s just a cash grab. Sure, art is subjective, but other experiential venues in NYC actually have projected images or lighting that are interactive, this is static. There are other digital screens sparsed around the top floor, and a small seconary room on the second floor (unventilated and pointless, converted into an exhibit), but it’s just fluff.

Sure, you can sit there to cool off and stare at the patterns and colors for some time, and get some photos and videos for your social media, but in my opinion it’s a short and pointless experience that could use updating. It felt like a poorly executed theme park ride for children, but without the learning and knowledge gain you would expect from a “NASA collaboration”. They bring you in small groups for an intro video (like a theme park) before you enter the single room of the warehouse.

I also wouldn’t recommend hosting an event there either. Maximum occupancy of 300, but it looked awful with just 100. Not a setup or lighting for an event with mingling or networking.

Insulted on the practices of the bar to make money. $17 for signature drinks in NYC aren’t unheard of, but not with minimal effort cocktails and filling each cocktail completely with ice in small glasses (large cubes for signatures, small cubes should be used to chill, not ripoff Customers). You’re only allowed in bottled water, so I recommend you do so.

I didn’t order a $6 Fiji water, but other Customers requested tap water and they were met with nonsense of “we do have tap water but it’s in the back and it only spews out hot, really hot water” to get around the legality of a bar denying a Customer water. The snappiness of the bartender plus the shady practices definitely warrants a low rating.

Also, was promised 30% off first drink for an event, was charged 100%. They’re explicit about the gratuity, but forced gratuity 20% gratuity for an absence of service or bartending was a joke.

I didn’t even look at the gift shop as I exited into Chelsea Market, but I assume there’s basic and overpriced merch.

Too many other events and experiences to check out. (Also asked my friend from Chelsea about her date experience here and it...