How
Walking into Renzo Nero’s hotel felt like stepping into a monochrome dream—one meticulously designed to disorient and intrigue. I’d been invited as a participant in his latest artistic project, though nothing could have prepared me for the sheer theatricality of the experience. From the moment I crossed the threshold, I was enveloped in a world rendered entirely in vector-style 3D graphics, a black-and-white universe viewed through fixed camera angles that gave the space an almost cinematic gravity. It’s rare to encounter an artist who so deliberately blurs the line between observer and participant, but Renzo Nero has built his reputation on such eccentricities. As someone who’s spent years studying immersive art and interactive installations, I can confidently say this project stands apart—not just for its aesthetic, but for how it redefines engagement.
The hotel itself is both setting and character—a sprawling, maze-like structure that doubles as an intricate puzzle box. Every corridor, every room, feels like a piece of evidence waiting to be uncovered. I remember moving through those labyrinthine halls, the fixed camera angles lending each scene the feel of a carefully composed film still. There’s a rhythm to exploration here, a push-and-pull between freedom and constraint that I found utterly compelling. Renzo doesn’t just want you to see his art; he wants you to feel it, to lose yourself in its layers. And lose myself I did. Over what felt like hours—though in reality, it was closer to three—I found myself piecing together fragments of narrative, each clue pulling me deeper into the mystery of my own involvement. It’s a clever, almost subversive approach to storytelling, one that relies on the participant’s curiosity as much as the artist’s vision.
What struck me most was the elegance of the visual design. The vector-style 3D graphics, stripped of color, create a stark yet strangely intimate atmosphere. Shadows stretch longer, edges feel sharper, and every object seems to carry symbolic weight. I’ve visited over 50 interactive exhibitions in the last decade, from Tokyo to Berlin, but few have leveraged minimalist aesthetics to such powerful effect. The fixed camera angles, reminiscent of classic survival horror games, amplify the tension, making every turn feel significant. There were moments—like discovering a hidden corridor behind a bookshelf or decoding a series of abstract symbols etched into a desk—that made me pause and appreciate just how much thought went into crafting this experience. Renzo’s background in theater is palpable here; every scene feels staged, yet never artificial.
Of course, no project is without its flaws. While the visual and narrative design is masterful, I did find the pacing occasionally uneven. Some sections dragged, with puzzles that felt more tedious than challenging. In one segment, I spent what must have been twenty minutes rearranging objects in a room with little payoff—a misstep in an otherwise tightly woven experience. Still, these moments were few and far between. For the most part, the balance between exploration and revelation was expertly maintained. I’d estimate that around 80% of the puzzles felt intuitive and rewarding, a testament to Renzo’s understanding of interactive design.
As I delved deeper, the line between the artist’s story and my own began to blur. That’s the real magic of this project—it doesn’t just tell a story; it makes you a part of it. By the time I reached what I believed to be the final act, I felt a genuine connection to the narrative, as though my choices and discoveries had shaped its outcome. It’s a level of agency rarely achieved in immersive art, and it’s something I’ve been thinking about ever since. Renzo Nero has created more than an exhibition; he’s crafted a dialogue, one that continues long after you’ve left the hotel’s enigmatic halls.
In the end, what stays with you isn’t just the striking visuals or the clever puzzles—it’s the feeling of having unraveled something meaningful, both about the artist and yourself. I left with a renewed appreciation for how art can challenge our perceptions and draw us into its world, not as passive viewers, but as active collaborators. If you ever have the chance to step into one of Renzo’s creations, take it. You might just discover something you didn’t know you were looking for.