Dance of the Cephalopod: Installation

In the Dance of the Cephalopod: Installation, audiences immerse themselves in an audiovisual, surround-sound experience featuring undulating oceanic recordings from Old Orchard Beach sonified with scientific data from Maine’s Shaw Institute. Participants interact with the work by activating Polychimes, hundreds of pieces of reused plastic junk strung together to create an irresistible, tactile drone of “clickety-clackety” ASMR sounds. The exhibition transforms research on ocean plastics and marine biology into a reflective space to contemplate the delicate balance between humanity and nature.

This project has been supported by the 2026 Sonic Visions Fund from SPACE, generously supported by the Onion Foundation.

Brian Shankar Adler is a percussionist, composer, and creator of interdisciplinary works. Described as “a polyrhythmic force… New York City gritty yet still somehow capable of evoking the delicacy of a summer breeze…” (JazzTimes), his work transcends the boundaries of genre and geographic region, asking: how can we find connection through rhythm?

Adler has performed in caves, forests, and adjacent glacial ice fields, as well as at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and The Stone. He has been recorded on over fifty albums, including his solo works: For a Gallery on the Moon, Fourth Dimension, as well as his collaboration with Jane Ira Bloom, once like a spark. Adler has also produced work with Ballet Hispánico, LA Opera, and Houston Grand Opera.

Adler has been commissioned to compose A Memory of Fire (Palaver Strings), Echoes of the Gomero (Rasa String Quartet), and We Are a Body of Water (Bates College Gamelan). Supported by a 2027 Maine Arts Commission Project Grant, he collaborated with scientists at the Shaw Institute in Blue Hill, Maine, to create Dance of the Cephalopod—an eight-part, interdisciplinary initiative addressing marine plastic pollution through music, public installation, and social engagement. Committed to mentoring the next generation of musicians, Adler serves on the music faculties at Bates, Bowdoin College, and the University of Southern Maine.