Out of the Grey

[space] Out of the Grey

 Concept
 Exhibition Design
 Lighting Design
 Critical Design
 Valle de Bravo, Mexico
 2021

DESCRIPTION

In collaboration with Breathelife x Museo Jumex, Out of the Grey offers an escape from Mexico City’s dense air pollution into the fresh air of Valle de Bravo. The exhibition presents five lighting fixtures with built-in air filtration systems—simultaneously illuminating the space and cleansing the air. As visitors move through, they encounter a narrative of confinement conveyed through form, light, and material—ultimately culminating in a sense of hope.

In the final moment, visitors are invited to reflect on what they’ve learned—or take action by acquiring a lighting filtration system, becoming part of the effort to clean the air in Mexico City.

ENTRANCE
The experience begins with the drive from Mexico City to Valle de Bravo, where the air slowly clears and its impact becomes unmistakable. A short walk through the surrounding trees leads visitors to an unexpectedly stark, almost ominous structure. Inside, a narrow corridor lined with vertical fins and subtle projections introduces the feeling of enclosure. A single sculptural light anchors the space as it gently opens, guiding visitors into the exhibition’s narrative.

METAL LIGHTING: Confined (1-5 minutes)
Heavy, staggered metal fixtures hang low in the corridor, forcing visitors to slow down and weave through them. Their weight and placement echo the density of Mexico City’s trapped air, while tight, focused light amplifies the sense of compression. Each piece filters the air as it illuminates, immersing visitors in a brief, tangible experience of confinement.

STONE LIGHTING: Mysterious (1-5 minutes)
After leaving the corridor, visitors arrive beneath a circular canopy suspended from the trees—a moment that feels open yet still enclosed. Tall, stacked stone fixtures anchor the space, their weight and verticality creating a quiet, almost ritual-like atmosphere. Soft light filters through each carved stone element, while built-in purifiers draw air through the forms. Moving between the fixtures, visitors experience a slow, mysterious feeling.

WOOD LIGHTING: Eased (1-5 minutes)
The space oftens as the path continues along the curved wooden structure, with the inner circular rail still guiding movement. Warm wooden fixtures hang overhead, creating a gentler, more open rhythm than the previous sections. Carved wood elements punctuate the path, each housing a quiet purification core. The atmosphere shifts toward ease—still held by the architecture, yet more connected to the surrounding forest.

TEXTILE LIGHTING: Opening (1-5 minutes)
The built structure recedes and visitors step directly into the forest. Soft textile fixtures hang from the trees, gently illuminated and free to move with the air around them. As the fabrics filter pollutants, they develop a subtle patina—marks that quietly record the air’s transformation. The space feels open and uncontained, signaling a shift toward clarity while still acknowledging what the air holds.

GLASS LIGHTING: Hope (1-5 minutes)
Lightweight glass fixtures hang throughout the trees, their smooth, blown forms catching and amplifying the ambient light. The pieces feel weightless after the denser materials before them, creating an atmosphere of clarity and hope. As visitors move through the space, the glass glows with a gentle brightness, echoing the feeling of air that has finally cleared. The forest becomes more open and luminous here, marking the transition into a fully refreshed environment.

WHAT’S NEXT?
The circle marks a choice. Step in, take part, or simply walk on—either way, you leave with a new awareness of the air around you.