a color story: doodles and the factory

Uber arrived. A tall Infinity SUV. Huh. What did we do to deserve such a premium ride? Even in the blinking lights of Time Square and its heavy raw energy, I fell asleep. The leather cushions swallowed me whole and my body shut off. Did I snore? Was it rude? Did I miss a special car moment in the New York streets? Regardless, we arrived in fashion at the Chelsea Art galleries. I don’t recall whether this visit was before or after the Highline walk. There was a different sense of destination via journey medium — both brought an energy rejuvenation.

Ohhh. An NFT art gallery. Virtual met analogue. But, we arrived too late. Off to the next spot, Chelsea contained multiple art galleries, after all. Okay. A line up. Dressed up folks. The gathering was a natural pull-in. But, it was invite-only. How, unfortunate. Next.

The predestined location. A lineup. Check. Tinted windows. Check. Open. Check. Even a buildup of anticipation prior to the visit. The project did a collaboration with Shopify. I felt like I was in the in. If you dared to explore, you entered a different world. The line attendant announced “next”. We finally had permission. Into the doors awaited.

Factory-feel. Tall ceilings. Playful colors with a neon glow. Virtual art meets a Willy Wonka filter turned analog experience. Let alone, there were interactive machines for the immersive experience. The soothing glows were just an invitation to play. Lose yourself in the playground. Lose yourself in the colors. Lose yourself in the dream-like world. Just note that this all started from a collection of doodles. A creative and virtual force from a different set of technologies but familiar imagination. Due note that the music mogul Pharrell Williams was the Chief Brand Officer.

So much culture. So much life. We wondered if we could get to the next level. Inspiring, yes. Delusional, perhaps. Was this all real? Who cares… Any form of authentic escape didn’t require investigation — it would ruin the fun. I was all for it. This wasn’t an art gallery nor a social destination. The immersion into a world was an industrial possibility. Where could I find my golden ticket? Where could I purchase the ticket or a chocolate bar?

Back home, I looked out and I saw a similar color motif in the sky. The pink-blue gradient alluded to the Doodle event. I guess the event wasn't free as it permeated through my subconscious.