New “Wonder of the Ocean” Experience at Phoenix des Lumières Dortmund

(eap) Diving into the ocean without getting wet – this is possible until 5 January 2025 at Germany’s Phoenix des Lumières digital art centre in Dortmund. The special exhibition “Wunderwelt Ozean – ein immersiver Tauchgang” (Engl.: Wonderworld Ocean – an Immersive Dive”) takes visitors on a journey beneath the surface of the sea. With the help of around 100 video projectors, alternating calm and dynamic scenes are shown in the Phoenix hall. The journey begins with a roaring sea that transforms into a smooth ocean at dawn. Clownfish and blue lobsters frolic among the corals, fiery red algae sway in the water and fascinating creatures whose habitat in the depths is not reached by light emerge from their hiding places. Besides the presentation of marine life, the exhibition also thematises on human intervention in the underwater world, for example through deep-sea fishing.

“The immersive dive ‘Wunderwelt Ozean’ is already a highlight for me. Exploring the oceans, looking beneath the surface, has always fascinated people of all ages,” says Andreas Richter, the new director of Phoenix des Lumières since September this year.

“Wunderwelt Ozean” was designed by Culturespaces Studio in collaboration with Spectre Lab Studio. In a production time of ten months, around 800 video recordings of more than 100 species of underwater flora and fauna were used to develop representations that are adapted to the 5,600 square metres of projection surface in Dortmund. In addition to the animations and images, a soundtrack created in cooperation with the agency Start-Rec, featuring marine and animal sounds as well as fitting film music, accompanies visitors on their tour. ■