Art, music and light converge in 'Alchemy: The Sound of Color,' a new exhibition at Morton Contemporary that brings Los Angeles-based collaborators Donna and Mark Isham to Philadelphia for the first time.
Open through July 5, the exhibition features immersive installations and paintings that blur the boundaries between visual art and sound, inviting visitors into a multi-sensory creative experience.
A selection of Donna Isham’s paintings will be presented to reflect a growing movement in contemporary art that focuses on experiences combining visual art, music, and technology to engage audiences in new ways.
The paintings are paired with original compositions by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning composer Mark Isham, activated through projection-mapped light. Known for film scores, including 'Crash' and 'A River Runs Through It', and his work as a trumpeter alongside artists such as Joni Mitchell, Mark Isham brings cinematic timing and atmosphere to the work.
Through color, light, motion, and sound, visitors will be immersed in a calming, meditative atmosphere where they’ll be encouraged to sit, listen through headphones, and spend time with the work for a fully embodied experience.
The couple’s collaboration emerged from asking how a painting, traditionally experienced outside of time, can enter into dialogue with music, which unfolds within it. During a visit to the Museum of Modern Art, the presence of a 16mm projector sparked an “aha” moment for both Donna and Mark. By introducing light as a living element, the Ishams found a way to create both space and duration, opening painting to time and allowing sound to be composed in direct response to it.
“I see my work as part of a larger conversation about perception, transformation, and the emotional landscapes we all move through,” says Donna Isham. “Working with Mark allows us to create environments where visual and sonic storytelling come together as an experience, rather than something purely observational.”
At a time when so much of what we look at happens through screens, immersive art offers an immediate sense of presence where viewers can slow down and engage with painting through the body as well as the eye.
Alongside the installations, Donna Isham’s paintings engage a lineage of artists exploring the body, psyche, and spirituality through figuration and abstraction. She is influenced by Berthe Morisot, Gabriele Münter, Elaine de Kooning, and Cecily Brown, and a background in film, costume design, and styling gives the work a distinct cinematic sensibility.
Recently, the Isham team has built national recognition through exhibitions in Los Angeles, Aspen, Miami, Palm Springs, and Nantucket, as well as major art fairs including Context Art Miami, Intersect Aspen, Felix Art Fair, and The Other Art Fair. Their Philadelphia debut marks a natural next step as their work reaches an expanding audience.
For more information, visit mortoncontemporary.com
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