Immerse yourself in augmented reality, discover a nocturnal art exhibition

♪ TED: THE ELM BANK GARDENS IN WELLESLEY, A MAGNIFICENT BEAUTY THAT EVEN THE END OF THE GROWING SEASON CANNOT HIDDEN, MAKES IT AN EVIL – IMPROBABLE PORTAL TO A WHOLE NEW VIRTUAL WORLD. YOU SEE, MAYBE YOU DON’T SEE, THERE IS AN ART EXHIBITION ON HERE. BUT YOU CANNOT EXPERIENCE IT UNLESS YOU DOWNLOAD AN APP ON YOUR PHONE. IT’S REALLY EVERYWHERE NOW. IT’S REALLY WILD. ALICE IS WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY WHO MONITOR THE GARDENS. THE “SEE THE INVISIBLE” SHOW IS THE BIGGEST AND MOST AMBITIOUS ART EXHIBITION IN AUGMENTED REALITY EVER ATTEMPT. ON VIEW AT 12 BOTANICAL GARDENS ACROSS THE WORLD, FROM AUSTRALIA TO JERUSALEM. >> YOU USE THE WORD EXPOSURE. >> I PROMISE IT IS REALLY INVISIBLE. TED: THE AUGMENTED REALITY ART SHOW FEATURES AN AWESOME CASTILLAGE OF INTERNATIONAL ARTISTIC CHARACTERS, INCLUDING CHINESE DISSENTING SUPERSTAR AI WEI WEI. >> THIS IS THIS HUGE PIECE. TED: WOW. MY GOD. IT’S LIKE 50 FEET HIGH. IT’S COOL. USING A PHONE, VISITORS CAN ENTER WEI WEI’S GIANT GOLDEN CAGE AND GET LOST IN ITS LABYRINTH, AN AMAZING AND IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE. >> WHEN PEOPLE GO TO EXIT, THEY ALWAYS LOCK A CIRCLE INSTEAD OF TURNING WHERE THEY ARE GOING. THEY THINK YOU SHOULD EXIT THROUGH THE MAIN DOOR WHICH YOU ENTERED. YOU FORGET YOU CAN’T ESCAPE. TED: THE SIDES MARK THE SITES OF SPECIFIC ARTWORKS, ABOUT A DOZEN IN ALL, WITH DIFFERENT INTERACTIVE FEATURES. >> THIS IS THE FUN PART, SEEING THE SURPRISES ON PEOPLE’S FACE. . TED: ELM PARK GARDENS ARE CLOSED FOR THE WINTER, BUT ‘SEEING THE INVISIBLE’ WILL REOPEN IN A FEW MONTHS. SHE HOPE THE EXHIBITION WILL BRING NEW PEOPLE TO THE GARDENS. >> WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CALLED THIS HIDDEN GEM. WE ARE TIRED OF BEING CALLED HIDDEN. COME FIND US. TED: OUR NEXT STOP SURELY QUALIFIES AS HIDDEN, LOCKED IN THE GLOUCESTER WOODS, ON ROUGH TERRAIN BETWEEN QUARRIES. >> I LIKE TO SAY HE LIVED A CHARMED LIFE. HE WANTED A CAREER, HE GOT TWO. TED: THE SHIP OF THE LATE PAUL MANN, A FEATURED SCULPTURE BEST KNOWN FOR HIS PROMETHEUS AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER. TODAY HIS FORMER SUMMER RETREAT IN GLOUCESTER HOSTS A NON-PROFIT ARTIST RESIDENCE. >> MANY ARTISTS WHEN THEY STAY HERE, TALK ABOUT THE PECULIARITY OF THIS IS. IT REALLY IS LIKE A CREATIVE WELL FOR THEM. TED: REBECCA REYNOLDS IS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF RESIDENCE AND STUDIOS. SOMETHING UNUSUAL HAPPENED WHEN THE DAYLIGHT FEATEN OVER THE QUARRIES. >> IT WAS EXCITING TO TELL PEOPLE, THIS IS A NIGHTTIME EXHIBITION. SOME PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED, THEY COME EARLY IN THE DAY TO SEE IT. TED: THE SHOW WAS INSPIRED BY HIS LOVE OF THE NIGHT SKY AND THE FIREFLIES FLASHING ON HIS LAWN. SITE SPECIFIC PIECES WERE CREATED BY A GROUP OF ARTISTS IN THE BOSTON SCULPTURES GALLERY. >> EVERY PIECE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH LIGHT. HOW THEY DID IT WAS THEIR OWN CREATIVE DECISION, BUT IT WAS RELATED TO THE LIGHT. TED: CHRISTINA’S WORK, LIKE MANY ARTISTS, HAD NEVER WORKED WITH LIGHT. HIS ROOM FEATURES SOLAR-POWERED LEDS. >> I HAVE INTEGRATED THREE LED LIGHTS INTO THE NEST SO THEY ARE POWERED DURING THE DAY AND THEN BEGIN TO GLOW AT NIGHT. TED: AS THE EVENING HAS SET UP, THE SCULPTURES COME OUT TO PLAY. >> WHICH HAS BEEN WONDERFUL, AND IT’S BEEN ENOUGH UNIVERSAL, PEOPLE, AND TO SAY IT’S MAGIC. THIS IS JUST THE BOARD WE HAVE NOT HEARD YET. BECAUSE IT’S UNUSUAL. SHAYNA: THE LIGHTS ARE LOW ON THIS ARTISTIC INSTALLATION. IT IS PART OF A LARGER YEAR-Long PROJECT DESIGNED TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE LOCAL FIREFLIES POPULATION. RETURNING TO ELM BANK GARDENS, ‘SEEING THE INVISIBLE’ SAW JERUSALEM’S BOTANICAL GARDENS BEFORE SPREADING TO 12 MORE LOCATIONS ACROSS THE WORLD. THIS AUGMENTED REALITY

Immerse yourself in augmented reality at Elm Bank Gardens, see a nighttime art exhibit in Cape Anne

Ted Reinstein discovers that to enjoy an outdoor art exhibit at Elm Banks Gardens, strangely, he needs to be…on his phone.

Updated: 7:55 PM EDT October 7, 2022

The majestic Elm Bank Gardens in Wellesley may seem like an unlikely portal to a brave new virtual world…but it’s time to heighten your reality! Seeing the Unseen They call it “the year of light” at Manship Artist Residence and Studios, with a series of events and installations around the theme of fireflies.

NEEDHAM, Mass. —

The majestic Elm Bank Gardens in Wellesley may seem like an unlikely portal to a brave new virtual world…but it’s time to heighten your reality! See the invisible

They call it “the year of light” at Manship Artist Residence and Studios with a series of firefly-themed events and installations.