For anyone doomscrolling their way through 2025, the temptation to chill out is stronger than ever. This is why Swoon, the Studio’s immersive art experience, Touch Grass, is such a welcome respite from everyday stressors.
Staged in the space formerly occupied by Various Small Fires gallery, adjacent to Swoon’s boutique at the Joule Hotel, Touch Grass was designed by the company’s staff to appeal to four of the five senses (a grounded latte from Weekend Coffee hits the fifth one).
Participants enter a room that mirrors a peaceful meadow (without the Texas heat). After surrendering iPhones and shoes, visitors don headphones and perch on a well-cushioned hillock. As the scent of grass wafts through the air, a skyscape of moving clouds is projected overhead and a guided meditation is played through the headphones.
The whole experience lasts just 10 minutes, but the refreshing result can linger. Swoon founder Samantha Sano said she came up with the concept when her video game-obsessed sons ribbed each other with the Gen Z insult, “touch grass,” which means to put down the tech and go outside.
The installation is not only a way to unplug, but it will also hopefully shed light on the youth mental health crisis, as all proceeds from the experience and related merchandise will go to the Preston Project, supporting the Grant Halliburton Foundation for suicide prevention. And this experience is just the beginning.
“I think we all agree growing up that we didn’t really think much about mental health, but now it’s just critical,” says Sano. “I want to support causes like autism and mental health in young adults and cancer care in children, so twice a year we’ll do what I call a de-installation and create some special thing that supports causes that are important to us.”
Details
Touch Grass runs until Oct. 12 on Tuesdays through Sundays, noon to 5 p.m. at Shop Swoon in the Joule Hotel, 1530 Main St. Tickets are $10. Swoon is also offering hourlong “soundbaths” on Wednesdays at 6 p.m.
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