REALM – The Sense Chambers is an immersive, multisensory installation by artist Priya Dave, bridging neuroscience, Indian traditions, and personal identity through interactive art. Born from a journey of questioning cultural norms and exploring mental health, the work is a response to Priya’s deep engagement with sensory memory, ritual materials, and the unseen processes of the mind.

The installation is divided into four unique chambers-Whisper, Scent, Light, and Proprioception-each designed to stimulate different senses and emotional responses. Inspired by scientific structures like neural pathways and brainwaves, and infused with symbolic materials such as turmeric, kumkum, incense, and organza fabrics, each space invites the viewer to reflect, feel, and engage.

Drawing on her Indian upbringing, global education, and fascination with the intersection of art and neuroscience, Priya’s work honors traditional values while challenging their limitations. Influences from artists like Pipilotti Rist and Greg Dunn are evident in her use of light, sound, and motion-responsive technologies. Through whispered poetry, reactive LED lights, and olfactory cues, REALM becomes a sacred space of self-exploration, neither fully religious nor purely scientific.

At its core, REALM is a poetic expression of vulnerability and transformation. It gives form to the invisible: emotions, memories, and mental states, made tangible through touch, sound, smell, and light. Viewers are not passive observers but participants in a sensorial dialogue, invited to question, connect, and experience the complexities of their inner world.