Boise State University's Keith and Catherine Stein Luminary: An Immersive Creative Experience

Visitors to BSU’s Luminary are asked to totally immerse themselves in the art around them. The ability to reach out and touch certain artwork adds a new, innovative dimension to the unique experience. PHOTO COURTESY OF BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY.

BY TIM ATWELL

It’s natural to overlook the Luminary when you first enter Boise State University’s Center for the Visual Arts. The unassuming room is hidden behind a row of dark glass windows in the corner of the Atrium, and from the outside it could be easily mistaken for an empty classroom. Stepping into the Luminary, however, is more like stepping into an aquarium than a classroom: all is quiet in the dark room except for the soft humming of technology, and dozens of little pieces of art are floating like bubbles across the walls, each about the size of a papaya.

“There, you are asked to please touch the art,” said Lisa Hunt, Interim Director of the Luminary. “And then suddenly you’re standing inside Van Gogh’s Wheatfield. People are like wow. It makes an imprint on your memory, something that helps you become a better observer. Not just of art, but of the world around you.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY

The walls in the Luminary are made of 700 square feet of touch-activated glass, effectively turning the entire room into an interactive computer screen. Tech-savvy readers might be interested to know that the walls are illuminated by 25k-lumen projection with ultra-short-throw lenses, but for the rest of us, suffice it to say that it is a high definition display. The resulting floor-to-ceiling visual array spreads across 18 panels and three walls, and can be used to display images, videos, 360-degree photos (similar to Google Maps’ Street View), or even video games.

While there is endless potential for experimenting with different types of exhibits, the default setting currently displays high definition images of art from around the world. Hunt and her team have connected the Luminary to collections of digital galleries to provide interactive access to a massive library of visuals. By tapping on the walls of the Luminary, visitors can expand and explore a range of art, including many obscure or overlooked pieces.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY

“Most museums you go to, maybe 5% of their collection is on exhibit in the galleries. The other 95% is in storage,” said Hunt. “We are aiming to add other kinds of museums, like natural history museums, or air and space museums, depending on the quality of images they have. And this will allow us to go into more natural and mechanical sciences, like engineering. We have a good handful of images from the James Webb Space Telescope that are very high resolution, and we are able to pull those up and then just surround ourselves on all three walls with a single image of the Cosmic Cliffs or the Pillars of Creation.”

No matter the type of visual, there is a common thread that connects all the different displays in the Luminary: it’s fun. There seems to be a universal sense of joy at turning an entire room into a blank canvas, choosing what to display, and then having the ability to interact with the art using touch. Perhaps this sense of hands-on fun is what makes the Luminary such an excellent tool for education, not just for college students but also for young children and teenagers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY

“We bring in a lot of classes from rural Idaho. A lot of underserved children come through, and most of these students would never be able to experience art or culture or scientific artifacts in any way beyond, you know, what they see on their iPhone or their computer or in a textbook,” said Emma Kirks, Community Outreach Coordinator for Boise State’s School of the Arts. “They seem to really get excited about learning in the space, far more than they would in just a standard classroom setting.”

The room is large enough to comfortably fit several dozen people, and can easily accommodate a classful of students. But regardless of whether the display is being used by children or adults, the team at the Luminary has seen firsthand how empowering the huge, interactive elements of the room can be for visitors.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY

“That’s one of the keys of the touchscreen, how you get to navigate yourself through those paintings. You’re not being told by anyone what to look at, or how to look, but you’re doing it yourself,” said Hunt. “It just has this more visceral, physical impact on you, to be able to examine something so closely and with such variety, and to navigate your own experience.”

Hunt and Kirks have big plans for the Luminary in the upcoming year, with a wide range of events and interactive exhibits on the calendar. Some of the highlights include music events with on-screen visualizers, film screenings, and immersive lectures from distinguished academics.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY

“I’m really excited to see what sort of interdisciplinary learning we can kickstart, what sort of community partnerships, and what those would look like. We’re just at the tip of the iceberg right now, trying to see what the space can do,” said Kirks. “The Luminary is only limited by your imagination.”