Situated in historic downtown Louisville,\u00a021c Museum Hotel<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0is a boutique hotel founded in 2006 by philanthropists and contemporary art collectors Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson.\u00a0New York-based artists Jonah Freeman<\/strong> and Justin Lowe<\/strong> have created a site-specific sculptural installation that is also a functional hotel room, offering 21c guests a completely immersive art experience. The work, titled\u00a0Asleep in the Cyclone<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/em>is an evolution of the artists\u2019 previous large-scale architectural collages, and extends their exploration of historical and narrative fictions, rogue science, and the contemporary urban environment, based on the counter-cultural artists\u2019 community from the mid-1960\u2032s known as Drop City<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Freeman and Lowe have transformed aspects of the Drop City design practice and philosophy to construct a room that exists in stark contrast to its time and surroundings. Constructed entirely of\u00a0re-purposed\u00a0barn wood, custom textiles, original sculptures, and other artworks, the room features a domed ceiling sculpture that recalls the geodesic designs of American architect Buckminster Fuller. Multi-purpose furniture and surfaces designed by the artists are complemented with an antique writing desk, rocking chair, and record player.<\/p>\n

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A selection of records, chosen by Freeman and Lowe, is included, as are artist-designed blankets, linens, and other curated components. A custom-built cabinet of curiosities includes collages, books, and small sculptures by the artists. Overnight guests\u00a0Asleep in the Cyclone<\/em>\u00a0or awake and lounging, listening to records, and otherwise exploring this immersive artwork, will experience a parallel reality that inspires the senses. As British artist Liam Gillick writes, Freeman and Lowe\u2019s multi-sensory work \u201creconnects the mind-blowing nature of wonder to the everyday experience.\u201d<\/p>\n