Art that talks back to you

Art can make for a memorable experience – such is the case of artist Jack Dollhausen’s work. Walking into Seattle’s Center of Contemporary Art Gallery back in 1990, my husband and I noticed peculiar flashing lights and mumbling sounds coming from a framed art piece on the wall. As we walked closer the mumbling became louder and the lights more animated until we stood in front of it. Greeted with a loud, mechanical sounding voice stating “You are too close”, both of us burst out laughing by our surprise greeting from an art piece. Playing with the piece, we moved all over the gallery, listening for different sounds and seeing light patterns change with our proximity. The art was sensing our motions and became a mesmerizing and entertaining piece. Regretfully, the timing was wrong to purchase this playful piece of art but one day I hope to have a Jack Dollhausen original on my wall. Check out more of Jack Dollhausen’s work at www.jackdollhausen.com or view a video of Jack in his studio on