Sensorio, the Central California location dedicated to the intersection of art, technology, and nature, has announced the addition of two exhibits by internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro: Gone Fishing and Fireflies. Adding another half-acre to this enormous walkthrough dreamscape, these new works complement the current exhibit of Field of Light, featuring 100,000 stemmed spheres lit by fiber-optics which gently illuminate the landscape in subtle blooms of morphing color, and Light Towers, a maze of 69 towers composed of more than 17,000 wine bottles glowing with optic fibers modulating to a musical score. Now on view in a small valley adjacent to Light Towers, the reflective Gone Fishing offers a playful interpretation of an introspective pastime. Comprised of 30 circular arrays of 25 multi-colored fishing rods, Gone Fishing at Sensorio represents Munro’s fascination with the contemplative act of standing by a stream, offering a stunning display. Each bloom, threaded with fiber optics, gently illuminates the surrounding hills. “To me, fishing has always conjured up the notion of removing oneself from the here and now to a place of peace and reflection,” says Munro. The adjacent pathway is dotted with Munro’s magical Fireflies, inspired by two of his favorite books, Kim by Rudyard Kipling and Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. The artist’s ongoing dream to capture something of a similar essence in light resulted in these whimsical works, made up of 9,720 flickering points of light. Munro notes, “It is my belief that light is a wonderful medium to connect mind, body, and soul with the natural environment. I hope this installation instills a sense of wonder and surprise to those that see it.” The new exhibits invite guests to further explore Sensorio’s glorious setting in California’s Central Coast Wine Region. Bruce Munro: Light at Sensorio will continue in residence, and is located at Sensorio, 4380 Highway 46 East, Paso Robles, California. For more information, the public may visit SensorioPaso.com or call (805) 226-4287. Due to parking lot construction, Sensorio will have a limited capacity for walk-ups from June 16 through November 30, 2023. To guarantee admission, patrons are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.
Explore a video preview of these new exhibits
Sensorio in Paso Robles, California hosts an immersive walk-through outdoor exhibit that recently added two exhibits by internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro: Gone Fishing (pictured), a playful representation of the contemplative act of standing by a stream, and Fireflies, a whimsical work made up of 9,720 flickering points of light. These exhibits complement the current Field of Light and Light Towers – also by Munro. Tickets available at www.SensorioPaso.com.
Photo Credit: Brandon Stier
Sensorio in Paso Robles, California hosts an immersive walk-through outdoor exhibit that recently added two exhibits by internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro: Fireflies (pictured), a whimsical work made up of 9,720 flickering points of light and Gone Fishing, a playful representation of the contemplative act of standing by a stream. These exhibits complement the current Field of Light and Light Towers – also by Munro. Tickets available at www.SensorioPaso.com.
Photo Credit: Brandon Stier
About Light at Sensorio:
For Sensorio, Bruce Munro created an unparalleled immersive experience. The multi-acre Field of Light at Sensorio is larger in size than any other Munro exhibition internationally and is Munro’s first US exhibit entirely powered by solar. The exhibit was refurbished in 2022, adding 42,000 glowing orbs to its existing 58,000, creating a field now featuring 100,000 stemmed spheres lit by fiber-optics – making it the world’s largest Field of Light installation. Field of Light at Sensorio has been described as “mesmerizing” (Los Angeles Times), “art that you experience,” (San Francisco Chronicle), a “dreamlike glowing landscape” (SLO Tribune), and a “well-considered mix of technology, art installations, and community elements” (Forbes). It was singled out by The New York Times as #6 in its “52 Places to Go in 2020,” and again as one of “California’s Immersive Art Exhibits Worth Visiting” in 2022. Los Angeles Times also featured Sensorio in its “101 Best California Experiences” this year.
In April 2021, Sensorio commissioned a second work by Munro, Light Towers, which is located adjacent to the Field of Light. Featuring 69 towers composed of more than 17,000 wine bottles, illuminated with glowing optic fibers whose colors evolve to an ethereal musical score, Light Towers pays tribute to the 200+ wineries and vineyards that blanket Paso Robles’ beautiful rolling hills. The two newest exhibits by Munro, Gone Fishing and Fireflies, were unveiled on May 19, 2023, and can be found in a small valley adjacent to Light Towers, adding another half-acre to the exhibit.
Sensorio enhances the viewing experience with nightly live entertainment by local musicians, and offers food and beverages including wine, beer, a selection of mixed cocktails, snacks, and meals. Sensorio recently unveiled Mercado Sensorio adjacent to the world-famed exhibit, offering a place to gather and relax for casual dining before or after touring the exhibit, with both outdoor and indoor seating areas. A Terrace Experience is also available, including exclusive access to a private terrace overlooking Field of Light with an Airstream bar, reserved seating, fireside tables, and other amenities.
Since opening in May 2019, the exhibit has captured an enthusiastic audience from across the country and around the globe, seen by over a half-million guests from 70 countries to date. Sensorio has been hailed for creating a “movement that infuses culture in valleys of viticulture” (The New York Times), and offering a unique adventure described as “the future of public wellness” (Forbes), and a “pilgrimage-worthy art escape” that is “meant to complement, never compete or detract, from the beauty of the landscape” (Travel + Leisure).
About Bruce Munro:
London-born Bruce Munro is best known for large-scale light-based artworks inspired largely by his continuous study of natural light and his curiosity for shared human experiences. With a fine arts degree, early career training in the lighting design industry, and an inventive urge for reuse, Munro creates art that captures his responses to literature, music, science, and the world around him. His work has been commissioned by and displayed in special exhibitions in galleries, parks, grand estates, cathedrals, botanical gardens, and museums around the globe, including Longwood Gardens, PA; the Guggenheim Museum, NY; the Sharjah Museum of Art, UAE; Montalvo Arts Center, CA; Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, AZ; Desert Botanical Garden, AZ; Jeju Light Art Festa, South Korea; the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, CO; Sotheby’s Beyond Limits at Chatsworth; Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Waddesdon Manor, the Rothschild Collection, Buckinghamshire; and Salisbury Cathedral, among others. Artworks by Munro are held in the permanent collections of museums and public art collections worldwide including the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archeology, Oxford; Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Art Museum, TN; and Texas Tech University Public Art.
About Sensorio:
Sensorio was created by locals Ken and Bobbi Hunter as a destination for entertainment, exploration, meditation, adventure, and delight, honoring the natural topography of the landscape and intended to offer a wide range of amusing, mystical and kinetic experiences. Since its opening in 2019, Sensorio has hosted hundreds of thousands of visitors, and also become the backdrop for dozens of marriage proposals. Plans for future developments at Sensorio include a permanent dining area, and an eventual hotel and conference center.
