Exhibition: December 4, 2026 - January 9, 2027
Opening Reception: Friday, December 4th from 6-8 PM
Admission: FREE
The James Library & Center for the Arts is pleased to present Phantasmagoria, a solo exhibition by artist Ben Foley in the Concert Hall.
The exhibition features a striking series of site-specific "light sculptures"—ranging from medium to wall-sized static forms. Created from recycled and repurposed industrial materials combined with precision digital light and electronics, Foley transforms static structures into fluid, living bas-reliefs that breathe with dynamic, sweeping color. Functioning as silent 3D mirages at the intersection of animated painting and interactive landscape, these real-life optical illusions foster wonder, curiosity, and play for visitors of all ages and experience levels.
"My process engages hypothesis, experimentation, and natural observation, infused with an alchemical approach to the scientific method," says Foley. "The goal is to reveal ethereal, fleeting moments of physical reaction that surround us every day, yet often go unnoticed."
Foley’s practice explores the intersections of art, science, and mysticism, drawing from themes of memory, mindfulness, mythology, Zen philosophy, and the unconscious. Through kinetic and light-based installations, his work investigates connections between the microcosmic and macrocosmic, offering audiences fresh visual tools intrinsic to human perception.
About the Artist:
Ben Koukalaka Foley is a Boston-area artist and multi-faceted creative engineer who holds a degree in architecture, drafting, sculpture, and 3D design from Colorado College. His international career includes exhibitions ranging from the Axiom Center for New Media (in association with MIT) to the Pedvale Open Air Art Museum in Latvia—a UNESCO World Heritage Site housing his work in its permanent collection.
Foley is a member of the COLLISIONCollective out of MIT’s Media Lab, an affiliate of Boston Cyberarts, and was integral in founding the Dorchester Art Project. In addition to his collaborative work as half of the artistic team BentHaus and his light-craft under the pseudonym Kid.Crystals, Foley teaches and consults as a material and installation specialist.