Mirages is a collaborative multimedia installation between Valencian sculptor Rafael Amorós and Berklee College of Music AV Ensemble led by Pierce Warnecke. The piece is inspired by Tantalus, from Greek mythology, who in Hades was condemned to eternal thirst and hunger, but for whom water and fruit were always just slightly out of reach.
The piece features three curved surfaces resembling faces onto which video is projection-mapped. A camera detects viewers’ movements and reveals the video content only when the sculpture is approached, creating a mirage-like effect of tension and illusion.
The imagery’s point of departure is the beauty found in life, nature, and people. It explores the validity and truthfulness of what beauty and vanity are, revealing that there are parts of everyday life that can be seen as superficial, hiding layers that are potentially unpleasant and even harmful to humanity.