I was excited to get a ticket to an art installation that was described as an immersive experience.  I was glad that I finally had the opportunity to go as I had been thinking about this event for a while.  I took the day off work to attend a holiday church service in the morning so that left the afternoon open for the art exhibit.

It reminded me of a virtual reality experience (without the headset) but with the freedom to move around the room—multiple rooms, in fact.  It was like being inside a giant slideshow that went from the ceiling to the floor.  It even included pictures on the floor so there were often images swirling about your feet.

I’m pleased to report that I didn’t get dizzy, and I even refrained from sitting down so that I could keep turning and looking from all angles to make sure I didn’t miss anything.  The musical soundtrack matched the pictures, at times giving a playful feeling and at others adding a dramatic overtone.

I could have done without all the people taking selfies and videos though.  One of the reasons I go to events like this is to get away from the distractions of everyday life.  I understand why it was allowed as it was very cool and worth sharing, not to mention free advertising for the exhibit.  But having specific selfie stations set up seemed like a bit much.

I also noticed many opportunities to spend money, everything from gift shop items to food and drink.  I certainly don’t begrudge the facility an opportunity to generate some extra cash flow, as this probably enables installations like this to continue and keep the price down to a reasonable level.  But it did sometimes have a bit of a carnival feel.

But I’ve continued to wonder about those folks who just couldn’t put their phones down.  This was an immersive experience, yet they just couldn’t let themselves go without a tether to the outside world?  Isn’t that the point of art, to allow yourself to get lost in it?  What kind of production would it take to get everyone to focus solely on what’s happening in front of them?

It struck me that the only thing more captivating than this art exhibit was the church service that I attended earlier in the day.  It was an all-encompassing experience, complete with music, beauty, and significance.  And it was free!  No ticket required.  Immersive experiences aren’t just in museums.

How about nature?  When you get out of your house or car and walk around, you can see amazing sights up close.  Even if you frequent the same paths, you can behold the change of seasons, such as leaves budding in the spring or falling in autumn.  You don’t have to go anywhere exotic to witness beauty every single day.

But you’ll probably miss it if you’re focused on your phone.  Or your to-do list, or what you’re going to watch on TV.  Art is everywhere, but you have to look for it.  And then focus on it when you do see it.  It takes practice but the more you work at it the easier it gets to spot.  And little by little you can exercise that attention span muscle and allow yourself to enter into the great immersive art installations that are all around us.