Aliens in wonderland

Artists Cursorama and Non-Linear are coding new worlds with pixelated oceans, bionic flowers and otherworldly beings

- By Kritika Kapoor [e-mail]

This is an underwater adventure like no other. And you don't need a wetsuit or a snorkel to dive in. No need to hold your breath either. Because the ocean here isn't made of water. It is a 180-degree set with screens and a stage alive with swirling blobs and luminous particles that imitate waves, microorganisms, and ocean currents. As they dance to electronic beats, the scene changes, taking you deeper into the ocean's depths. On the way, you get a glimpse of the deep-sea life. Jellyfish, squid, and coral. Biolume, the art installation by Goa-based Yash Chandak (Cursorama) and Dennis Peter (Non-Linear), just won the 2025 The Future is Born of Art commission by BMW India and India Art Fair.

For many visitors, immersive, tech-heavy, interactive art is uncharted territory. We saw what the Van Gogh 360 show did: Visitors were swallowed up by sunflowers and wrapped in starry nights. Cursorama and Non-Linear take it a notch ahead. Their digital ocean reacts to you, like a real one would. Each step creates ripples, and the screens light up with new patterns when you touch them. You're not just looking at the ocean, but virtually swimming in it.

Biolume's message is simple: Our actions shape the environment. But its tone is joyful. At the exhibit, adults wave at tentacles on screens. Children dash across lit-up floors, giggling. It's a mini-world built from light, sound, and code.