FringeArts, Race Street Pier, and our new neighbor, the Cherry Street Pier, are the sites of Prismatica, an interactive installation created by Raw Design and brought to Philly with Montreal-based group Creos. Deemed “a modern ice palace”, each prism is more than 6 feet tall and coated with film that reflects various colors of the rainbow, depending on vantage point and time of day. The prisms are mounted on projectors, adding a new layers to the light show come nightfall. Moving the prisms triggers ambient bell sounds, which means they are indeed designed for interaction and completely family friendly.

The installation is part of the Festival for the People, presented by Philadelphia Contemporary in partnership with the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, which officially opens Saturday, Oct 13, though the prisms are already on display at the Haas Biergarten. The next three weekends will encompass several kinds of events showcasing analog, digital, and embodied art forms of various subcultures. (Think: live tattooing!)

Over the course of the festival, in addition to many live events, Cherry Street Pier will also be hosting Impulse; a group of interactive, illuminated see-saws that promote urban play and tranquility.

Prismatica remains on display at FringeArts through Oct 28.