BELLA GAIA:

BELLA GAIA is an unprecedented NASA-powered immersive experience that communicates without words, the BEAUTY (BELLA) of the planet – both natural and cultural – and the INTERCONNECTEDNESS of all things on Earth (GAIA).

 

A visceral flow of unencumbered beauty manifests for all the senses as BELLA GAIA combines supercomputer data-visualizations – from NASA and other sources – including CO2 emissions, urban population growth, air traffic, and oil consumption – all projected onto a giant screen – that allow audiences to see our planet in an entirely different way.

 

Inspired by astronauts who spoke of the life-changing power of seeing Earth from space, BELLA GAIA successfully simulates this Overview Effect* from space flight, and makes audiences “Discover what it’s like to be an astronaut” (Washington Post). The experience leaves audiences with a transformative sense of wonder and inspiration, and the ability to see the Earth as a multifaceted yet cohesive working organism. Attendees will realize deeply and emotionally that there IS something to lose, and therefore that there IS something to preserve and to steward.

 

 

Crafted by the neuroscience-driven methodology of director-composer Kenji Williams, the transcendental effect of BELLA GAIA has been proven to generate the elusive but critical emotional response: A Reason to Care.

 

Kenji Williams:   

Kenji Williams is a composer and director for multi-media live theater, augmented reality, virtual reality, and interactive data visualization. Named a “100 Top Creative” by Origin Magazine, a World Technology Network award finalist in Arts, Entertainment, and Education, and a Grammy voting member, Williams explores the nexus of art and science through diverse collaborations. He has worked with multimedia artist Paul Miller aka DJ Spooky, top world music artists, institutions such as NASA, UNEP, and UNESCO, and even performed in real-time with astronaut Koichi Wakata while Wakata was orbiting the Earth aboard the International Space Station. As an Artist in Residence and Visiting Scholar at the University of Colorado at Boulder Arts & Sciences, Williams is developing a live 3D holographic theater show titled Origin Stories.

 

Combining unique skills in film and music, Williams has earned international film awards from the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, Sundance Film Festival, Science Media Awards, Best Soundtrack Composition at the Macau International Fulldome Film Festival, the People’s Choice Award Fiske Fulldome Film Festival, and has garnered media exposure from the Village Voice, BBC, NPR, PBS, USA Today, Huffington Post, and Washington Post.

 

Williams expresses his work around the world, at performing arts theaters, museums, and conferences such as, TEDx, Aspen Institute, Smithsonian, Guggenheim Museum, Strathmore, Marin Civic Center, Winspear Opera House, UNESCO, U.S. Department of State, and on film soundtracks.

 

ArtTech:

The Hammer Theatre’s new ArtTech series, which debuted Spring 2018, offers a revolutionary blend of live music, theatre and dance converging with high tech multimedia to deliver highly engaging entertainment. The culmination of Silicon Valley innovation and creativity, the ArtTech series caters to the theatre lover, techie and multimedia aficionado.

 

Hammer Theatre Center:

The Hammer Theatre is a distinctive, high-quality performance venue in the heart of downtown San José. Operated by San José State University, the theatre serves the university and the community through exceptional programming expressive of the unique characteristics and diverse cultures that comprise Silicon Valley.