Immerge Interactive 

Reflections 

On display November 4–13, 2022

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Reflections is an interactive lighting installation that showcases the mirrored nature of the Arizona Canal’s surface while paying tribute to 10 years of Canal Convergence. It includes two 14-by-40-foot suspended grids, each encompassing more than 13,000 individually addressable LEDs, and all powered by an interactive video tracking system. Aluminum frames, each weighing only 400 pounds, allow this immersive piece to hover over the surface of the canal while creating generative patterns in real time. Activation zones are powered by cameras placed on viewing platforms on either side of the canal. Movement of viewers within these zones will contribute data to the interactive system, allowing patterns and colors to morph within the piece. As the structures seemingly fade into the night, the reflections from the lighting sample previous Canal Convergence artworks from the past 10 years and color palettes from Scottsdale and the surrounding geography. 

Biography 

Immerge Interactive, founded by president and lead creative Nicholas Lavella, is a Philadelphia-based studio specializing in interactive video and lighting design. Immerge focuses on creating unique pieces, beginning with foundational LED sculptures called Elements. These primary geometric shapes, such as squares, columns, rings, and fences, are designed to be modular and scalable for public art and performance spaces. These Elements have been showcased within various installations, such as Fences, a 7-foot-tall, 72-foot-long interactive LED installation, commissioned for Canal Convergence 2020 by Scottsdale Public Art. Emerge, a 2019 collaboration with IMRSV Arts of Berlin, Germany, at the Philly Art Collective Gallery, also made use of Elements. Utilizing wireless sensors, Emerge tracked each viewer’s heart rate to create real-time lighting designs while experiencing musical performances. It is through both public and commercial installations that Immerge Interactive explores interactivity, data visualization, and generative patterns within liminal spaces.  

Immerge Interactive was invited to participate in this year’s Canal Convergence as a returning artist in celebration of our 10th anniversary. Immerge Interactive first exhibited at Canal Convergence 2020 with the artwork Fences.