Houghton Hall in Norfolk is set to be transformed by a major solo exhibition of contemporary British artist, Chris Levine, 528 Hz Love Frequency. Marking the inaugural winter show in the historic grounds of this prestigious art venue, this exhibition running between 22 October and 23 December 2021 is proudly sponsored by Sotheby’s and will feature a series of new holographic artworks, print works and large immersive laser and LED installations. This is a body of new work created specifically for the unique environs of the house and grounds. Each distinctive work is characteristic of Levine’s unique and cutting-edge work with the meditative and immersive properties of light and sound.
Levine works in pursuit of an expanded state of perception and awareness through image and form, frequency and vibration. Levine describes his practice as using light and geometry to create a space where consciousness and the physical realm overlap. He is best known for his large-scale, immersive sculptural light installations that invite the viewer to be present, in the moment. He harnesses the power of light not just as a core material of art but also something with which to create powerful collective experiences. This exhibition, his largest to date, will punctuate an acclaimed career for Chris who in 2004 was commissioned to create a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The iconic portrait will be exhibited alongside works of other famous sitters including Kate Moss and Grace Jones.
The centrepiece of the Houghton Hall show 528 Hz Love Frequency is a monumental spherical structure Molecule of Light on the front lawn that emits a sound beam. This vast new sculptural work with 3D ambisonic sound will come to life as darkness falls over an imposing landscape. The audience, one at a time, can immerse in modulating sound frequencies on the solfeggio scale which numerically relate to sacred geometry and correlate to the energy nodes in the body known as chakras. It is the artist’s intention that people would be drawn into a brief meditative state that is both uplifting and purifying by bathing in this sound beam.
By day, the sphere uses natural light to generate more patterns giving it a vibrational quality, and at night it becomes the centre of an immersive field of laser light forms that transform the grounds of Houghton unlike anything seen before. The high-powered lasers are precisely calibrated with the rotation of the earth, and by using the geometry and configuration of the architecture and natural topography of the Hall, the object of the work is to draw the audience into a meditative state where light and sound harmonise with the forces of nature within and around us.
Levine is perhaps best known for producing light portraits of notable cultural figures, most famously his depiction of the Queen in Lightness of Being (2012) – described by the National Portrait Gallery as the most evocative image of a royal by any artist. Along with his celebrated royal portrait, his acclaimed iconic meditative portraits of Banksy, and Grace Jones, amongst others, will be shown in the South Wing gallery.
On the upcoming major solo exhibition and his Houghton debut, Levine said: ‘It’s a great honour to be showing at Houghton. All my endeavours to create work that is truly experiential and transformative have brought me to this defining moment. I’ve always sought to create art that draws the viewer to stillness and into a meditative expansive state. The more the work can be accessed through the heart and not needing to be mentally processed allows for a deeper sensory experience and something that moves us emotionally and with a positive impact on our physiological state.’
Chris Levine at Houghton Hall: 528 Hz Love Frequency
Dates: 22 October – 23 December 2021
Open Days: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Opening times: 4.30pm to 9pm
Adults £18 Under 18s free and concessions for Students
Tickets on sale 27th September at www.houghtonhall.com
https://www.instagram.com/chrislevine_light/
©2021 Chris Levine, Houghton Hall
Art Plugged is a contemporary platform inspired by a relationship with the broader arts communities. We provide our audience with curated insight into the world of art, from exhibitions to artist interviews and more.
