‘Glow Forest’ by Eric Wagliardo is on view at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center through Feb. 1. Photo: Oak Cliff Cultural Center.

On the stroke of midnight Jan. 1, 2021, everyone thought all of the sadness, anxiety and overall badness that came out of 2020 would magically disappear. As it turns out, the negativity from the previous year seems to be hanging around for a bit.

One event that will pave the way for a more positive 2021 and help you feel a little bit more serene is Glow Forest, a light projection installation currently on display in the windows of the Oak Cliff Cultural Center.

Eric Wagliardo, artist and creator of ‘Glow Forest.’

The exhibit, designed by artist Eric Wagliardo, is a mixture of colorful tropical foliage and lighting that’s specifically designed to be paired with relaxed and calm breathing and meditation.

While the exhibit is fairly simple, there’s a deeper meaning behind it.  The work is one of several installations meant to be a response to the pandemic.

“Wagliardo’s idea was that these installations would be placed in empty storefronts around town and serve as a reminder that while we should be staying at home and there are some businesses that have been shuttered, there are still ways to navigate through these times together as a community,” said Rafael Tamayo, general manager of the Oak Cliff Cultural Center.

Tamayo says Glow Forest can be viewed from your car, but to fully appreciate it he encourages people to get out and take a closer look, especially after sunset. He adds that the space is ideal for quiet mediation.

‘Glow Forest’ is on view at the the Oak Cliff Cultural Center through Feb. 5. It’s best viewed at night. Photo: Eric Wagliardo.

Brooklyn and Dallas-based Wagliardo is an internationally recognized artist who describes himself as a creative technologist.

“He fuses the two worlds of art and technology,” said Tamayo. “And so while he is able to create images and designs, like what is installed for Glow Forest, he also combines it with different kinds of things like augmented reality.”

Wagliardo’s past work includes virtual murals for the Vancouver Mural Festival and collaborations with Childish Gambino, for an augmented reality musical experience, and a public art installation at Grand Central Station in NYC for Matt Damon’s Water.org.

You can catch Glow Forest through Friday, Feb. 5. The installation is best viewed after dark.

Got a tip? Email Therese Powell at tpowell@kera.org. You can follow her on Twitter @TheresePowell13

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