The Making of “Optik,” a Musical Interactive Installation Now in Lower Manhattan

Lower Manhattan’s latest eye-catching public art project is “Optik,” an outdoor collection of 10 moveable rings with musical and light-reflecting elements. The innermost ring of each piece also features a layer of film that reflects a spectrum of colors throughout the day. When people interact with the rotating rings, they activate lights and music from the rings’ internal speakers.

“Through movement and reflection of light, each of these colorful units encourages the public to engage with another unit and other people within the space — sparking spontaneous conversations, dance parties, jam sessions and light shows,” explained Ryan Swanson, founder and creative director of the Urban Conga. The public art project was a collaboration between Swanson’s Brooklyn design studio, artist Serge Maeheu and producer INIT.

Swanson also shared with the Downtown Alliance some of the tech behind the installation. For each piece, the outer ring is fixed and equipped with 20 lights while two inner rings pivot on separate axes. Each component contains a sensor at the main pivot point that is connected to a microcomputer inside the piece, which then triggers the musical notes and lights. He also shared that each unit can produce an impressive 1,000 notes from the internal speakers, which begin to play at every 15 degrees of rotation. 

You’ve simply got to see it to understand how it works. “Optik” will be displayed on Cortlandt Way through June 21 as part of the Alliance’s Art is All Around campaign. If you happen to be there on a Wednesday at noon, you might even catch one of the free lunchtime concerts put on by local jazz and blues artists.