MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ARTIST MERCURY IMMERSES HARTFORD IN THE SMELL OF RAIN
THE ARTIST & ACTIVIST PRESENTS PETRICHOR FOR FIRST NIGHT HARTFORD
There are fewer pleasures in this world than the smell of fresh rain. Widely seen as a sign of good luck across cultures, it is as if our senses know that rain is a sign of renewal and potential growth, wetting the soil for a bountiful harvest. On an ancestral level, our nose knows petrichor means survival. Petrichor is humanity’s best linguistic attempt at describing the pleasant smell of rain meeting dry soil.
For First Night Hartford, local artist and activist Mercury uses the word and sensation as inspiration, presenting an immersive installation on New Year’s Eve. What better way to welcome the new year than with an artistic manifestation of rebirth? “Petrichor invites people to consider materials common to Hartford in an elevated way —hoping it hits them like fresh rain,” Mercury shares. Premiering at 69 Pratt Street, Petrichor is a light and sound installation, capturing the earthy, ephemeral scent, while igniting our other senses — sight and hearing. A live performance by musician Brandon Serafino accompanies the immersive installation, resulting in an all-encompassing sensory experience for guests to enjoy.
You can visit Petrichor by purchasing a First Night Hartford button, which allows you to attend every and any event on the diverse schedule. First Night Hartford is one of Connecticut’s longest running traditions for New Year’s Eve and features an array of activities for all ages.
Continue scrolling to learn more about Mercury’s upcoming installation, Petrichor.
CAFETERIA: Petrichor refers to the nice smell after its rains. Does petrichor symbolize the first night of the year? How did this sensation inspire your installation?
MERCURY: Yes, petrichor refers to the scent rain creates when it makes contact with dry earth. It is a word with Greek roots that was coined in the 1960s. I’m sensitive to smell and this one in particular inspires creativity within me. It can be a symbol for many things, including the start of a new year. We live in a time when everyone is eager for change, regardless of values or beliefs. What I’m concerned with is how we go about change. By design, mass media, as well as social media favors negativity within echo chambers. Unfortunately, ignorance is very effective at engaging people’s attention. I think people are at their best when they focus on creative solutions that don’t rely on prejudice or hate. Petrichor invites people to consider materials common to Hartford in an elevated way —hoping it hits them like fresh rain.
Can you share insight into your creative process? How did you design this immersive installation?
MERCURY: Almost everything I do is improvised and site-specific. It’s barely a process in the traditional sense, let alone, a way to make a living. I’m actually still designing the installation as we speak. It is a very challenging way to create, but it keeps me present. It’s hard to describe — it’s like having your finger on the pulse of a collective conversation that goes beyond language. Maybe that’s just inspiration in general.
What led you to work with light and sound? Can you speak to the ephemeral nature of light and sound as artistic mediums?
MERCURY: I will always favor work that is both clever and humble at the same time. I was raised on hip-hop, a movement that made the most out of hard circumstances. The pioneers of this movement were masters of ephemerality. Hip hop is a movement that requires interaction from the viewers — a call and response. Working on installations feels like that for me. Light and sound is all around us and are such economical mediums with high potential.
What do you hope visitors take away from Petrichor? What feeling are you trying to evoke, or because of the installation’s immersive nature, is it open to interpretation?
MERCURY: Making work for the public is like feeding ducks. If you throw the bread too close, they might avoid it. If you throw the bread too far, they might not notice it. It’s a fine balance.
