See hundreds of floating ceramic bowls in pools at this mesmerizing new exhibit at the Park Avenue Armory

New York has no shortage of immersive art experiences, but few are as hypnotic as the installation currently taking over Park Avenue Armory's massive Wade Thompson Drill Hall.

Starting today, French artist and composer Céleste Boursier-Mougenot's acclaimed "clinamen" fills the space with nearly 800 floating porcelain bowls that drift across pools of water, colliding to create an ever-changing soundtrack of chiming, bell-like tones. 

The Armory presentation is the largest version ever staged of the artist's ongoing work, which has appeared at museums and cultural institutions around the world, including Paris' Bourse de Commerce, San Francisco's SFMOMA and the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. While earlier versions have appeared in New York (including a much smaller installation at Paula Cooper Gallery more than 20 years ago), this is the work's first local appearance on such an ambitious scale.

Inside the Drill Hall, visitors will encounter three circular pools arranged across an elevated platform. Each basin stretches 40 feet in diameter and contains nearly 10,000 gallons of water. Subtle currents keep the bowls in constant motion, sending them gliding across the surface before they gently bump into one another, creating delicate, bell-like sounds. Because the movement is driven by chance, no two moments are exactly the same.

The installation's title comes from the ancient concept of the random motion of atoms, a reference to the bowls' paths. That element of chance has been central to the French artist’s works for decades. Boursier-Mougenot began his career as a composer before developing art installations and is known for works that turn everyday objects into self-generating instruments. (Past projects have included things like birds interacting with amplified guitars.)

"With 'clinamen,' Céleste Boursier-Mougenot transforms the Drill Hall into a living, listening environment," Rebecca Robertson, founding president and executive producer of Park Avenue Armory, said in a statement. "Though it seems simple in concept, the installation produces ever-changing musical configurations, creating a bespoke experience for each visitor."

Part of what makes the Armory presentation unique is the building itself. Boursier-Mougenot adjusts each version of "clinamen" to respond to its surroundings, fine-tuning everything from the placement of the pools to the water temperature and currents. The vast acoustics of the Drill Hall allowed him to create the installation's largest and most immersive incarnation yet.

"The Drill Hall is so immense that it allows visitors to really step into the heart of the sound," Boursier-Mougenot said. "This work is an invitation to stay together with other people to share a moment of grace and beauty."

"clinamen" runs through August 2 at Park Avenue Armory. Tickets start at $30.