BLINK 2026 is just around the corner and a new player in Cincinnati’s digital media landscape is offering a unique way to experience the work of two iconic Cincinnati artists.
“Harper Alive,” described as “a spectacle of animation and music showcasing the story and life’s work” of Charley Harper and Edie Harper, will be unveiled at Mercantile Immersive Oct. 8 and available throughout the BLINK weekend, closing Oct. 11.
Created in partnership with the Charley and Edie Harper Foundation and exclusively in alignment with BLINK, “Harper Alive” uses immersive media, motion, music and storytelling to invite guests inside the distinctive creative world of these beloved artists. Mercantile Immersive, located in the historic Mercantile Building in downtown Cincinnati, is owned and operated by DelightMore, a full-service catering and events company. The facility features 256 million pixels across floor-to-ceiling LED displays and a multi-zoned immersive sound system.
Sample experiences at Mercantile Immersive
(Photos by Brittany Bays)
“Harper Alive” begins with a series of vignettes exploring the couple’s artistic partnership, their individual perspectives and their influence on each other’s work. From there, guests enter a six-minute immersive experience surrounding them with animated interpretations of the Harpers’ familiar imagery set to music. The experience will loop continuously during public hours, allowing guests to enter at any point during public hours. Cincinnati-based Lightborne, the world-renowned Cincinnati animation and production studio, created “Harper Alive,” in combination with DelightMore’s hospitality and event services.
“Charley and Edie Harper have such a special connection to Cincinnati, and their iconic work lends itself to the kind of immersive storytelling we can create at Mercantile Immersive,” said Jerin Dunham, DlightMore’s chief operating officer. “BLINK is the perfect opportunity to introduce this larger-than-life visual experience and give the community a glimpse of what we’re developing for 2027.”
“Harper Alive” will serve as a preview of a larger Charley and Edie Harper immersive experience planned to launch at Mercantile Immersive in March 2027.
“BLINK is about new and unexpected ways to experience art, our city and our community’s boundless creativity,” said Leslie Mooney, executive director of BLINK. “’Harper Alive’ brings together the work of two artists with deep Cincinnati roots and offers the kind of innovative, immersive experience that complements the spirit of BLINK.”
This digital experience will complement two analog Harper exhibits opening in October:
Cincinnati Art Museum | 953 Eden Park Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45202. 513-721-2787
- Oct. 16-March 7. “The Art of Charley Harper: Creatures Wild and Tame”
Taft Museum of Art | 316 Pike St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. 513-241-0343
- Oct. 17-Jan. 24. (FotoFocus) Edie McKee Harper: “Modernist at Play”
Read more in our upcoming October magazine, publishing Sept. 23.
“Harper Alive” will be open to the public at Mercantile Immersive, 120 E. Fourth Street, downtown Cincinnati, during BLINK weekend:
- Friday, Oct. 9: 7-11 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 10: 1-8 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 11: 3-11 p.m.
Admission during regular public hours is free, but reservations are required. A cash bar and limited food options will be available for purchase.
“Harper Alive” is made possible with support from Stock Yards Bank, Graeter’s Ice Cream, Montgomery Inn and the Thomas R. Schiff Foundation.
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