Galeria Melissa + SOFTlab

Yesterday I found myself in SoHo so I stopped by Brazilian shoemaker Melissa's store on Greene Street to check out a colorful installation by SOFTlab.

Galeria Melissa + SOFTlab

Called We Are Flowers, to coincide with a collection from Melissa of the same name, the installation consists of over 20,000 translucent flowers attached to a suspended frame (a mylar net) that billows from the front to the back of the store.

Galeria Melissa + SOFTlab

The translucent pieces overlap to blur any distinct blue, red, orange, green or yellow pieces, bringing the installation close to what SOFTlab describes as "the enchantment of a vibrant hanging garden."

Galeria Melissa + SOFTlab

In the middle of the store the arches stay above shoppers' heads, but at the back of the store it descends into the basement level.

Galeria Melissa + SOFTlab

Here it is like a vortex of color...

Galeria Melissa + SOFTlab

as if the (underused, I feel) elliptical yellow space is drawing all of the petals to the light at the bottom.

Galeria Melissa + SOFTlab

While the effect of being underneath a canopy of colorful flowers is nice...

Galeria Melissa + SOFTlab

the play of light and color and form on the white walls is a great effect that unites installation and store/wrapper*.

Galeria Melissa + SOFTlab

*Melissa's NYC flagship store was realized in 2012 by designer Domingos Pascali and Edson Matsuo in collaboration with MW Arquitetura and Eight Inc.

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