Deep Blue Exhibit Review

I visited the Deep Blue exhibit at the Bold Hype Gallery in Winter Park on a Sunday evening and did not know what to expect. This was my first evening visit to an art show and I was excited to see what Doug Rhodehamel had put together in this well hidden art gallery in Winter Park. The outside of the gallery was non-descript, and the windows had been papered over as to hide any of the secrets that lie inside. As soon as I had walked inside the door and through the black sheet covering the doorway, I was overwhelmed with the sudden darkness that had fallen over me. The gallery itself was illuminated by black lights and once my eyes got used to the unusual lighting I realized how colorful everything inside was. It was as if I were suddenly transported to the depths of the ocean, where sunlight was replaced by herds of bioluminescent creatures.  

From the ceiling many blue bodied, neon green eyed fish hung, and the walls were covered in marine-related art pieces like elaborately decorated oars and custom-painted glass candle holders that you might see in old pirate movies. The fish were of many different sizes and shapes, but all had the same coloring to them and all had exaggerated teeth and jaws that reminded me of the underwater BBC series, Blue Planet.  
 As I examined the fish further, I realized that Doug Rhodehamel had in fact created a complete ecosystem that hung from the rafters. Mingled among the fish were many small specks of orange that upon closer examination turned out to be individual pieces of plankton. Other interesting pieces of art included a central light fixture that resembled some type of strange coral. Red bubbly spheres of glass surrounded a greenish black-light that was connected to a system of blue LEDs that moved vertically as if it were part of a tidal system. The entire gallery’s ceiling was enhanced by an awesome laser show that simulated neon blue waves.
 The gallery had a decent turnout when I attended, and I was lucky enough to be able to talk to Doug Rhodehamel, the main artist responsible for the amazing show. According to him, all the fish were created out of recycled cardboard with a neon paintjob. I was amazed at how such an exquisite display could be created out of recyclables.
 I enjoyed the gallery very much, and recommend it to anyone with any amount of interest in art, especially since it is free show open to the public. Visitors will be welcomed into an alien world only seen by scientists in research submersibles, or through the eyes of Doug Rhodehamel. This exhibit stimulates all senses, and leaves the visitor yearning for more.