Photos and words by Cheryl Guerrero

The “galactic ecosystem of planet Nocturne X” has opened up at the Gray Area space in the Mission. The 4,000 square foot theater has been transformed into an interactive forest environment filled with hundreds of glowing flowers and plants. The luminescent sculptures react to your touch, sound and movement. After a year and a half of social hibernation, this just may be the way to wake up your senses. Production Designer and Art Director, Dicapria Del Carpio, who worked on the environment design, felt the blend of art and technology was a wonder. “I didn’t know you could walk up to a mushroom and whisper secrets to it and it lights up and tells all its other mushroom friends and they light up,” she said, “I’ve been really amazed and had a sense of wonder and exploration and discovery through that.”

“We had over 150 local artists making this beautiful installation,” Technical Director Gene Feingold said, “bringing together art and technology.” He believes it’s important for people to know that this project was designed and built by the local community of artists and that support for that can produce amazing results like Nocturne X. “It’s important to support the art[s] and the artists that make it.”

Visit Nocturne X
Location: Gray Area 2665 Mission Street, San Francisco
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday from noon – 8pm, currently running until November 14th