“We wanted to create a space where visitors could step away from the distractions of everyday life and tune into the subtle forces that influence their inner and outer worlds.”

Highlights from the Exclusive Preview

Below are highlights from the exclusive, invite-only preview:

A Collaborative Effort

The Invisible Tide is a testament to the power of collaboration. Featuring contributions from Othership, Mulvey and Banani, Seeing into The Unknown, and CBCB Fragrances, each partner has added a unique layer to the sensory journey that awaited us. 

The journey started with a warm greeting from Stanley Sun and Ashley Rumsey, Co-Founders of the Mason Studio. In their introductions, they provided background information on their interior design studio and the cultural hub as a conceptual space born from an intuitive need to experiment. Afterwards, we were introduced to each of the partners.

• Stella from Othership: First, we were introduced to Stella from Othership. In her capacity as a Meditation Coach, Stella led a guided deep-breathing exercise to help us ground our energy and shift our focus to the present moment.
• Chris from Seeing Into The Unknown: Next, we met Chris, aka ‘Chris, The Sound Guy’ from Seeing Into The Unknown. Seeing Into The Unknown contributed cymatics (the study of visible sound) and videography to the installation. Meaning we would see a video of a visual representation of water, light, and vibration in the accompanying solfeggio healing frequencies.
• Alex from Mulvey and Banani: Alex, a lighting designer from Mulvey and Banani, designed artificial lighting for the installation to replicate the stunning glow of sunsets. She explained that sunsets symbolize a time for unwinding and reflection, aligning seamlessly with the installation‘s theme. For this, she drew inspiration from images of sunsets from all over the world.
• Chris from CBCB Fragrances: Lastly, we met Chris, the perfumer from the Toronto-based CBCB Fragrances. He and the team at CBCB Fragrances developed a unique fragrance designed to evoke innocent yet specific childhood memories of playing in the water. Reflecting on the scent, he remarked, “We achieved the impossible by capturing the scent of water.” With the introductions out of the way, we were ready to begin the journey into The Invisible Tide. 

Shoes Off — Let the Journey Begin

After we removed our shoes, Chris applied a small amount of the water-scented fragrance onto our wrists. My first sniff nearly knocked my socks off. I initially said to myself,

“Wow, this smells like a pond!”

The second sniff reminded me of my last visit to Grenadier Park at High Park last summer. CBCB Fragrances seriously captured the smell of a pond in a bottle! How did they capture High Park in a bottle? That alone is worth the experience!

We walked along the softly lit stone path and entered a medium-sized room covered in floor-to-ceiling white draping. In the middle of the room was a platform surrounded by water and mist. I dipped my fingers into the water and noticed the mist slowly swirling and drifting around my hand. The room was lit in a warm and soft orange glow, and the sound of water droplets played faintly in the background. I felt like I was sitting on a mountaintop, far away from the chaotic world and my own set of earthly stressors. 

Once everyone sat down, Stella led a guided deep breathing exercise to ground ourselves into the present moment. When I closed my eyes and tuned into myself, I noticed some frantic and unsettled energy in my mind, which changed into a steady sense of calm and centeredness with each breath. With our energy collectively settled, we were guided to look up at the large sheet in front of us. The lights went out, and soon, we watched the cymatics audio-visual presentation created by Seeing Into The Unknown. We watched intricate and complex patterns shift in size, colour, and formation to the sound of water and solfeggio frequencies. While watching the sound waves, I noticed a subtle change in my mind. Rumination and distraction gave way to stillness. At that moment, my mind was temporarily relieved of present-day worries and burdens. It’s amazing how sound can help us drop the heavy mental and emotional burdens that we carry, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Permitting myself to drop the burdens temporarily led to shedding tears of relief. The sound of water droplets changed to the delightful sound of birds chirping. I felt a soothing effect on my mind and body from listening to the sweet and cheerful birdsong. The experience concluded with a quick discussion with our fellow participants as we shared our individual experiences during the show. I walked away with a newfound appreciation of the world around me. There’s so much beauty, wonder, and healing in our surroundings if we pause, step away from the stressors, and momentarily tune into ourselves. 

On Display Until January 29, 2025

During the week of January 25, 2025, The Invisible Tide: Awakening Unseen Forces will be open to the public with select ticketed sessions during the DesignTO Festival. More information about the installation can be found here. Advanced registration is required.

Many thanks to Mason Studio, Othership, Mulvey and Banani, and CBCB Fragrances for the multi-layered, meaningful, and much-needed journey back to my center of calm and centeredness.

They Captured the Scent of WATER?! Inside the Mind-Blowing Invisible Tide Installation – Presented by MasonStudio

They Captured the Scent of WATER?! Inside the Mind-Blowing Invisible Tide Installation – Presented by MasonStudio

They Captured the Scent of WATER?! Inside the Mind-Blowing Invisible Tide Installation – Presented by MasonStudio

They Captured the Scent of WATER?! Inside the Mind-Blowing Invisible Tide Installation – Presented by MasonStudio