Ready to step into a world where humans have genetically fused with plants and empathy rules everything? Sounds like science fiction, right? Well, it’s happening right here in Dallas, and you can experience it for yourself!
What’s This Amazing Experience All About
Artist Saya Woolfalk has created something absolutely incredible at the Crow Museum of Asian Art on the UT Dallas campus. Her installation “Floating World of the Cloud Quilt” isn’t just art you look at – it’s a complete universe you step into and become part of.
For the past 20 years, Woolfalk has been building an entire fictional world inhabited by a race of women called Empathics. These aren’t your typical sci-fi characters – they’ve literally fused their bodies with plants, creating a society where technology, nature, and human emotions blend together in the most beautiful way imaginable.
Why This Will Blow Your Mind
It’s Like Nothing You’ve Ever Experienced: This isn’t a painting on a wall. Woolfalk has created an immersive multimedia installation with multiple video screens, sound, and visuals that surround you completely. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported into this Empathic Universe where compassion, empathy, and love are the driving forces of society.
It’s Personal and Universal: According to Woolfalk, “A quilt is an object of comfort, warmth, and protection, and it is also a space for dreaming.” She’s taken that cozy, protective feeling of being wrapped in a quilt and turned it into this massive, immersive experience that makes you rethink what it means to be human.
It Never Ends: Here’s the coolest part – the installation is designed as an infinity loop. That means you can interact with the Empathics in a never-ending cycle. Every time you visit, you’ll notice something new and have a different experience.
What You’ll Actually See and Feel
Multi-Sensory Magic:
- Three-channel wall video with color and sound that surrounds you
- Single-channel floor video that creates an otherworldly atmosphere
- Sound design by Dim Gurevich that’ll give you chills
- Symbols and imagery from Woolfalk’s 20-year archive of this fictional world
A Journey Through Time: The installation emphasizes duration – both as a creative process and as measured time. You’ll lose track of how long you’ve been there because you’re completely absorbed in this alternative reality.
Who Is Saya Woolfalk?
This isn’t some random artist throwing together a weird installation. Saya Woolfalk is an American artist born in Japan in 1979 who lives and works in New York. She’s been developing this Empathic Universe concept for two decades, and what you’ll see at the Crow Museum represents the culmination of years of world-building and artistic vision.
She had help from an amazing creative team including Isabel Sakura (Assistant Creative Direction) and studio assistants Jade Freed and Mauve Martineau.
When and Where You Can Experience This
Dates: March 8 through September 7, 2025 – that’s six months to experience this incredible installation!
Location: Crow Museum of Asian Art on the UT Dallas campus
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed Mondays)
Admission: Completely FREE! The Crow Museum is “Always free” and “welcomes visitors from around the world”
What You Should Do This Weekend
- Clear Your Schedule: This isn’t something you rush through. Plan to spend at least an hour getting completely immersed in the Empathic Universe.
- Bring Your Most Creative Friends: This is the kind of experience that sparks incredible conversations. You’ll want to share it with people who love art, science fiction, or just mind-bending experiences.
- Visit Multiple Times: Since it’s free and designed as an infinity loop, each visit will reveal new layers and connections you missed before.
- Check Out the Museum’s Website: Head to crowmuseum.org for directions, parking info, and details about other exhibitions running at the same time.
Why This Matters Beyond Just Cool Art
In a world that often feels divided and harsh, Woolfalk’s Empathic Universe offers a vision of what humanity could become if we centered empathy, compassion, and love in our daily lives. It’s not just fantasy – it’s a roadmap for a better way of being human.
The installation asks big questions: What if technology helped us become more connected to nature instead of separating us from it? What if genetic modification was used to create more empathetic beings? What would society look like if emotions like love and compassion were our guiding principles?
The Bottom Line
This is your chance to experience one of the most innovative and thought-provoking art installations you’ll ever encounter – and it won’t cost you a penny. Whether you’re an art lover, sci-fi fan, or just someone looking for an extraordinary experience, the Empathic Universe is waiting for you.
Don’t just see art – become part of a world where empathy reigns and the impossible becomes beautifully real.
Pro Tip: Since the installation runs until September, you have plenty of time to visit multiple times. Each experience will be different, so don’t feel like you have to “get it all” in one visit. Let yourself be absorbed into the Empathic Universe and see what revelations emerge!
Exhibition Details:
- Location: Crow Museum of Asian Art, UT Dallas Campus (800 W. Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080)
- Dates: March 8 – September 7, 2025
- Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Admission: FREE
- Website: crowmuseum.org
Note: The Crow Museum also has a Dallas Arts District location at 2010 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Experience the future of human empathy – it’s closer than you think!
