An ambitious audio-visual work by Carsten Nicolai has been commissioned by Art Basel Hong Kong to illuminate the city skyline during the fair in May. Entitled “α (alpha) pulse”, the installation will beam a synchronized light pattern across façade of Hong Kong’s iconic 490 meter high International Commerce Centre (ICC) on the Kowloon harbor front each night from May 15 to 17, 2014. A corresponding mobile phone application will provide sound to accompany the installation, in sync with the light patterns.

According to the press release, “α (alpha) pulse is an experimental construction that looks at the effects of audiovisual stimulation on the human perception….The work presents an experiential set-up that explores the effects that the light impulses might have on the mood, relaxation, attention, and creativity of viewers.”

Of course, the Victoria Harbor already hosts “A Symphony of Lights”, a rather tacky and unimpressive nightly multimedia show featuring colored lights, laser beams, searchlights, and music.

In contrast, Carsten Nicolai is a renowned artist and musician based in Germany whose work has been shown at MoMA and the Guggenheim in New York, Documenta X and the Venice Biennal. Nicolai is also very well-regarded in the experimental and minimalist electronic music scene, performing under the name of Alva Noto and collaborating regularly with the likes of Frank Bretschneider, Olaf Bender, Ryoji Ikeda and Ryuichi Sakamoto; he is also the founder of the acclaimed music label Raster-Noton. (Full PDF of press release here)