A blurry, multicolored form contrasts dramatically against a deep black background, creating a sense of vibrant movement and depth.

I.R. Bach, AMYJ170330-021610-vA, 2018 ⓒ I.R. Bach, photo courtesy of the artist

A digitally rendered square, feathered at its edges, with a fusion of soft white and rosy pink tones, is centrally placed on a stark black background.

I.R. Bach, Entity AMHQL170614 -015236-01, Amatlan de Quetzalcoatl, 2017. ⓒ I.R. Bach, photo courtesy of the artist.

About the Exhibition

Art + Technology Lab grant recipient I.R. Bach’s project, I want to know, was informed by the profound human endeavor of “knowing.” The project was inspired by a mysterious encounter the artist experienced while camping in the volcanic field South of Mexico City: the spontaneous occurrence of flashing lights in the mountains, a phenomenon that had already garnered local speculation. Bach set out to make sense of this inexplicable phenomenon by tracking their trajectories and documenting their patterns.


Rather than pursue scientific explanations of these occurrences, Bach was most interested in basking in the remarkable experience of being a witness to them. He recorded his observations with a low-light camera, which merely served as a record of the existence of these flashes of light, rather than conclusive proof of something previously inexplicable.


For the second phase of the project, Bach tried to emulate the phenomenon by developing a kinetic light installation and performance at the Griffith Observatory using a series of mirrored panels. Looking northeast from LACMA’s campus, viewers could see a light drawing emanating from a distant mountain.

About the Program

LACMA Art + Technology Lab

The LACMA Art + Technology Lab supports experiments in design, creative entrepreneurship, adventures in art and industry, collaboration, and interdisciplinary dialogue. Inspired by LACMA’s seminal Art and Technology Program (1967–1971), which paired prominent artists such as Claes Oldenburg and Andy Warhol with the resources of major corporations, the program was revived in 2015 as part of The Hyundai Project at LACMA, our ten-year partnership with the museum. The Lab provides grants, in-kind support, and facilities at the museum to support the progress of artist projects that take purposeful risks, and to foster innovation and collaboration across disciplines.

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