During this time of year, daytime stretches to its ultimate peak, washing the earth in over fifteen hours of interrupted sunlight. The planet’s surface basks in the golden heat, heralding the beginning of summer. With it comes heated nights, when people can enjoy the simmering post-sunset scenery. Each consecutive day shortens, before waning into autumn and renewing the cycle. 

Occurring simultaneously with the summer solstice, musician and digital artist john gerrard debuted the newest collection of his SPIRITS exhibition at LACMA with the SPIRITS Summer Solstice Dance. In the museum’s Commons, beneath the new David Geffen Galleries, a simple plaza transformed into an experience bridging ecology, technology, and art. 

SPIRITS, a yearlong exploration into the repercussions of petroleum and plastic pollution in the ocean through sound waves and spatial imaging, exists as “image objects,” digital and interactive sculptures featuring gaussian splatting technology reacting to live data. These sculptures loomed over attendees, a constant reminder of the dangers of wanton consumption. As plastic footwear gerrard collected from shorelines liquified into pitchy oil, DJ Richie Hawtin performed in response to the movements of the artwork. Unifying visual art with sonic expression, Hawtin and gerrard created an interactive space where dance protests pollution. 

Emphasizing gerrard’s dedication to eliminating waste, plastic-free alternatives were implemented throughout the venue. From reusable glassware to non-plastic twine on decorative hay bales, nature was placed at the forefront of the event, extending to California log surfaces, sun-dried grasses, and carefully sourced food. 

LACMA’s participation in the event signaled an institutional respect for techno music. Hawtin’s performance and gerrard’s new psychoacoustic composition, Peak Oil, converse with the artwork and curate a sonic landscape for the museum’s physical space. Dancers’ kinetic interactions with the music mirrored the sculptures’ dissolution into petroleum, creating an immersive exhibition. Although the seasonal cycle repeats, the sculptural and musical creations exist in this one summer night, irreplicable and constantly shifting.