Lumia machines and the lovely Ms. Perhacs

Yesterday photographer-cowboy Bill Funk invited Richard and me to join singer-songwriter Linda Perhacs in a tour of the Museum of Contemporary Art's exhibition Visual Music. As a synesthesist, Linda was interested in seeing how other artists manifest their experience of cross-sensory perception, and she recognized many motifs in the films on view from her own internal visions.

The highlight of the show was the installation of three rarely-seen Lumia boxes by Thomas Wilfred, kinetic light sculptures ranging from album cover- to wall-sized, which give off a haunting, slow and lovely light. Linda suggested that watching such images would be a healthy psychic alternative to the speedy, quick-cut entertainment that's available everywhere. She's right, and I know I'd rather apply the cost of a fancy entertainment system on a nice Lumia machine--does anyone make these marvels?

The exhibition runs through May 22, and MOCA is free all day Thursdays. Thanks, Bill! -Kim Cooper