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Arts & Entertainment

The Artists Behind The Griffith Park Teahouse Are Bringing A Bioluminescent Installation To An L.A. Beach

Bioluminescence_Michael_Wells_7.jpg
Bioluminescence. (Photo by Michael Wells, courtesy of Night Life L.A.)

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The artists behind Petal Drop L.A. and that cute little Griffith Park teahouse are bringing a new installation to the shores of an undisclosed L.A. County beach, now with 100 percent more bioluminescent algae.

This one-night-only pop-up, open to the public from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Saturday, June 24 is centered around "the natural phenomenon of bioluminescence." Visitors will get a rare chance to gawk at bioluminescent plankton (which, if you slept through biology in high school, are living, glowing organisms—one of Mother Nature's coolest party tricks.) Artists and performers will be part of the fun, according to the anonymous artistic collective behind the exhibition, who describe themselves as creating "free, participatory, and poetic disruptions in unexpected urban sites," and a lifeguard tower will also come into play, somehow.

The outdoor installation is titled "Night Life L.A.," and like any good pop-up, it's shrouded in mystery—the exact location of the event has yet to be announced, but we are told it is somewhere south of the Marina. All will be told, needless to say, if you manage to score a ticket. The limited, timed-entry tickets, which will be free, go on "sale" at 4 p.m. Wednesday, and will be available on the installation's website.

"The beach at night. The ocean stretching before you, the city at your back. A rare opportunity to communicate, as best you can, with living bioluminescent algae," the website coaxes, and honestly, that sounds pretty unmissable. Organizers say that cellphone use during the event will be prohibited, as the light interferes with viewers' ability to adjust to the darkness, so put your dumb phone away and look at the glowing plankton. Also, 15 to 20 minutes of darkness are required for your eyes to adjust, so attendees are urged to keep this in mind before their start time.

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