With a collision of artworks and lights, the Vero Beach Museum of Art hosted its second annual Art After Dark digital exhibition. Rather than wander through the museum halls during the two-night exhibition, the community was invited to enjoy artworks projected outdoors on the walls of the museum.

Cooler temperatures added to the excitement of the glorious and clear evenings, as attendees chatted in clusters and enjoyed dinner al fresco from food trucks onsite. Museum volunteers handed out glow-light sticks and rings, giving everyone a chance to embed themselves into the experience.

The exhibit curator, Brett Phares, used the museum as an open-space canvas, orchestrating the convergence of art and architecture using illustration, experimental film, motion graphics and large-scale digital video projections with sound. He explained that the art adapts itself to the architecture, effectively reshaping the museum.

“Part of what goes on is bringing it [art] to the architecture too. It’s all about adaptive reuse,” said Phares.

Attendees strolled around the perimeter of the museum, viewing 16 artworks from seven countries projected onto the various walls of the building. Graphics, painted fields, surreal landscapes, abstract perspectives, and intimate studies of nature and its creatures were just a few of the independent visuals.

With lawn chairs in hand, many sat watching their favorite visuals for a while, before moving on to another location. Others allowed the projections to wash over their bodies, which Phares said allowed them to become part of the immersive experience.

“I want people to stand in the light because it connects you to the art. Seeing your silhouette is a statement that ‘I am here.’ That’s the quality of this being ambient,” said Phares.

The next exhibit at the VBMA – Rolling Sculpture: Streamlined Art Deco Automobiles and Motorcycles – opens on Jan. 28 and runs through April 30.

For more information, visit vbmuseum.org.

Photos by Brittany Norair