Designboom_ NAVE exhibition at Galerie Rudolfinum in Prague is a collaborative work by music pioneer Brian Eno and designer Jiri Prihoda that unveils an immersive experience. The exhibition, the second joint installation between the two artists after 25 years, showcases a unique fusion of sound, light, and architectural elements within the gallery’s neo-renaissance space. Visitors encounter a transformative journey filled with evolving soundscapes, guided by the sculptural installation, and the subtle play of light. A large suspended ornate room opens up spilling natural daylight from above. Soft-tonal ambient sounds and primal chanting embrace the space drawing visitors inwards.

Eno‘s sound ambient compositions and Prihoda‘s sculptural structures intertwine, inviting viewers to explore introspection, reflection, and a profound connection with the evolving space. The exhibition, hosted by Galerie Rudolfinum, challenges conventional notions of art and demands an in-person visit to fully grasp its multi-sensory impact. The duo envisions NAVE as a vessel for contemplation, inviting participants to pause, reflect, and be transported to new realms of thought and emotion. The subtle and at times eerie sounds emerging from the central temple-like object give off a meditative feeling.

Asked about the title of the site-specific installation referring to the nave, central part of a church or cathedral, Brian Eno comments: ‘I think NAVE is really good. I like the ghostly look of the fabric used, and the feeling of silence that the vast space has. I want to offer music that seems to increase that silence and stillness’.