Memory of a Star: Forgotten Light Premieres at Foreland During Upstate Art Weekend

Immersive sound and light installation invites audiences to experience the cosmos through sound, space, and stillness.

CATSKILL, N.Y., July 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- What does a star on the edge of collapse sound like? On Saturday, July 19, Opus 1 Foundation and Foreland will debut Memory of a Star: Forgotten Light, an immersive sound installation by multidisciplinary artist Kyter Steffes that brings astrophysical data into public space. Using sonic translations of millisecond pulsars—stellar remnants spinning hundreds of times per second—the installation invites audiences into a meditative journey through resonance, rhythm, and memory.

Set within the six-story Tower Stair of Foreland's historic arts campus in Catskill, NY, the site-specific work unfolds across speakers positioned throughout the vertical space. Each movement of sound is designed to interact with the stairwell's unique acoustics, encouraging visitors to ascend and descend slowly through an evolving soundscape grounded in science and shaped by emotion.

"Forgotten Light is a space to feel something you didn't know you'd been holding," said Steffes. "To hear something ancient. To pause, remember, or simply begin again."

"Memory of a Star represents the kind of impact we're committed to building—work that doesn't just spark emotional resonance but opens new applications across science, wellness, and education," said Chris Coritsidis, CEO of Opus 1 Foundation. "It's about showing how art and data, together, can unlock tools for transformation."

The installation is part of the broader Memory of a Star initiative, which collaborates with scientists—including those from the International Pulsar Timing Array, a galaxy-scale telescope tracking gravitational waves from the early universe—to convert cosmic data into sonic experience. By turning inaudible frequencies into immersive art, the project aims to foster wonder, stillness, and new ways of listening to our place in the universe.

Commissioned by Opus 1 Foundation and presented with support from Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn, Forgotten Light also incorporates sensory-friendly design principles informed by the artist's previous collaborations with KultureCity, ensuring accessibility for neurodiverse and sensory-sensitive audiences.

EVENT DETAILS
Title: Memory of a Star: Forgotten Light
Date: Saturday, July 19, 2025
Time: 2:00 – 8:00 PM
Location: Foreland Tower Stair, 111 Water Street, Catskill, NY
Presented by: Opus 1 Foundation
Artist: Kyter Steffes
Press + RSVP: [email protected]
Phone: ‪(860) 532-0233
Info: https://www.forelandcatskill.com/happenings/foreland-open-studios

Media tours and artist interviews are available upon request.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Kyter Steffes is an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the intersection of immersive technology, architectural space, and sensory experience. As Lead Design Manager for The Sphere in Las Vegas, he helped shape the venue into a global benchmark for large-scale, technology-driven storytelling. His collaborations include artists Dan Colen and Maya Lin.

ABOUT MEMORY OF A STAR
Memory of a Star is an ongoing project that translates cosmic phenomena—such as pulsars and gravitational waves—into immersive sound and educational tools. Developed in partnership with astrophysicists and creative technologists, the initiative enables audiences to "hear the unheard" and explore the emotional dimensions of space science. Future presentations include National Sawdust (October 2025) and Art Basel Miami (December 2025).

ABOUT OPUS 1 FOUNDATION
Opus 1 Foundation is a global impact organization that harnesses the power of the arts to drive systemic change across social, economic, and environmental challenges. Through artist-led projects and immersive programming, Opus 1 bridges creativity with real-world outcomes. Learn more at opus1foundation.org.

ABOUT FORELAND
Foreland is an 85,000 square foot campus that caters to a diverse range of commercial businesses and private individuals, primarily though not exclusively leasing to those who participate in the production of art. In addition, Foreland provides unparalleled experiences for private events including weddings and corporate gatherings, as well as intermittent, experimental public programming. Learn more at forelandcatskill.com

SOURCE Opus 1 Foundation