Pipilotti Rist's major installation *4th Floor to Mildness* has opened at the Portland Art Museum's Crumpacker Center in its West Coast premiere and only second U.S. exhibition. The immersive work features underwater film projected onto two biomorphic screens, a soundtrack by experimental musician Soap&Skin/Anja Plaschg, and raft-like beds for visitors to lie on while experiencing floating imagery and moving light circles. The exhibition was adapted from its original 2022 presentation at the New Museum in New York, with local production partners including Portland Garment Factory and Figure Plant contributing to the installation.
This exhibition matters because it brings a landmark work by one of the most influential contemporary video and installation artists to the West Coast for the first time, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience Rist's signature sensory, aquatic environments that challenge traditional modes of viewing art. The show also highlights the Portland Art Museum's commitment to presenting major international contemporary art and fostering local creative partnerships, as seen in the collaboration with Portland-based fabricators and support from regional patrons.