Mirror Mirror Review

February 2, 2024 at 7:45pm
By Jason Stettner

This is a special immersive art exhibit that can be visited in Calgary currently. It’s available within Chinook Mall being a nine installation setup that explores thematic beats of consciousness and creativity. I was invited to visit the event today during its initial media touring and it was quite an interesting visit.

You can see a full video showcase of that below to get an idea of the experience in action or I’ve also included an odd photo or two to accompany the writing. Anyways, the setup is intended for you to explore however you’d like. Whether that be alone or in a small group. Going for either should create a rather fascinating sort of time.

The overall tour is set to take about forty-five minutes in length. By my estimates that is approximately how long I spent going through this, but I could have added some extra time by sitting to relax in an area or two. I was mostly filming, taking photos and trying to take in the immersion at the same time.

It’s a similar situation to say Van Gogh’s interactive display or also the Immersive Nutcracker which were two past events we’ve had in the city which I visited. Those also being a showcase of lights, interaction and modern visual projections. It does work here, featuring the nine distinct spaces like I previously mentioned. Each has its own style, length and vibe going on.

My personal favorite was the cloud room, I wish I could have spent more time just sitting and swinging in the hung seats as it was rather tranquil. It was a puffy room of mist with flashing lights and a calming music. I suppose that’s most of the areas, a relaxed them as you go through them. Sort of like an ASMR type of thing I suppose.

At the start you’re welcomed to choose your own door. There are three of them, and they’ll send you on differing paths. I went with the red door and felt like I sort of floated right to the ending so I guess I almost double backed. That being said it’s entirely open, there’s no specific rhyme or reason you need to follow. There are some neat setups, things to touch and things to visually just take in.

Interactive elements and some you just view. It’s a neat concept for an interactive art exhibit and I enjoyed it. Some of the areas were trippy, another favorite of mine being the mirrors with lights bouncing area. Or another being the random words mixed with a variety of what felt like scaffolding. It was very neat. Some of the rooms were a bit small, but I felt they balanced the movement between areas nicely.

Mirror Mirror was a rather enjoyable time that I felt provided a quality amount of value to it. It’s easy going, vibrant and full of immersive interactions. I enjoyed the music, tone and style. The aesthetic for the rooms was lovely and I believe this was my most enjoyable immersive experience I’ve had yet from what I’ve visited thus far in the city over the years. I would actually think in particular that the younger ones would really have fun here.

It’s got a decent amount of time value to it, more if you really take it in which I recommend and I believe the younger ones would have a blast with the lights. I saw one young girl hopping about on the river and having a grand time. It was neat, I enjoyed visiting it and oh, that cloud room was wonderful. You can read our review of the Van Gogh in Calgary, or check out our general hub for the city below.

Read our Van Gogh Review
View our Calgary Hub