Matt Elson

Most of us recognize the phrase “To Infinity and Beyond” made popular by the acclaimed animated movie series Toy Story. Well, Matt Elson and his Infinity Boxes do just that. They take you so far beyond, you may just question with all your being what you are seeing.

Matt Elson

Years earlier I had included Matt in an article about Decom LA (a Burning Man recovery event), and his work stood out. So we kept in touch via email. Since he is based in Morongo Valley (between Palm Springs and Joshua Tree), one would think it would be easy for us to connect. However, being a travel writer, I spend quite a bit of time out of the country. Needless to say, I finally met up with him, and I am so glad it did.

Burning Man

Matt is a native to San Francisco, and has been a constant at Burning Man for the past decade or so. Prior to becoming a burner, he was a prominent computer graphics artist working with Symbolics, Inc., Magnet Interactive Studios, DreamWorks Animations and Walt Disney Feature Animations. Moreover, he has collaborated on several Hollywood Movies.

His participation in Burning Man opened up an entire new vein of creativity. He began designing and building inventive installations each year at the event. Then in 2024, Here’s TÄNZER! was commissioned by Burning Man for the Main Base of the event. His work combines light, abstract art, and illusion, while utilizing optics in an unexpected way. He creates what he calls “fields of reflections.”

We arrived just before he packed up his boxes and hit the road for another out of town exhibition. Matt has refined and optimized his Infinity Boxes for easy transport to meet demand. People all over want to see these boxes in person. His property located in the Morongo Valley includes a hand painted building by Bunny Reiss. It stands out in the midst of the dessert and is a perfect home for Matt’s art.

Matt Elson’s Infinity Boxes

The very first box we had a chance to experience was You and Me together. Two people are required to participate. So my husband Rich and I both engaged in the process. As we put our foreheads into the box, I immediately saw a bunch of my husband’s face, but it was not just Rich. I was in there too. It was a scary combo of both of us. It united two completely different images. Matt explained that I was seeing Rich in 3 dimensions as well as a half of a version of myself from my brain. Say what?? Basically our images were morphed as they were reflected back to us. It was shocking yet so fun, super weird and also crazy.

We moved on to another box. Radiance offers ‘Order and Chaos’ on different sides. I saw three heads…they were one front, one side and the other the opposite side like a three headed monster. Then Rich and I switched positions, and the visual was completely different. The three heads lined up in a row then became an even longer line of heads, it was hysterical. Additional favorites include: The Unseen Consequence of circumstance, The Delta of Venus, as well as Virata Rupa.

Mind-bending Art

We ran around to experience all of the boxes, and I just fell in love with them. Each was so different yet had many of the same absurd morphing qualities creating an unusual phenomenon. Matt’s work is like nothing else that I have seen. It is so playful. It combines neuroscience with the brain science of our optics. Matt told us that he wants people to become aware of our awareness. If that sounds redundant, it is. He explained, that so many of us living on this planet, take our sight for granted. The way we look and experience things is a unified process shared by all of us. However, with his Infinity Boxes, Matt is changing that.

He went on to tell us “I see my boxes like social icebreakers” He added that he loves hearing giggles and sudden gasps coming from those viewing the infinity boxes. Well, he certainly got that from me. His latest burning man installation got me going the second I stepped into position. Visit our instagram to see my instant reaction to these incredible Infinity Boxes.

These one-of-a-kind Infinity Boxes must be experienced in person. So reach out to the artist Matt Elson and set up a time to visit. He launched an official grand opening on March 15, 2025. Contact him through his website. Visit with friends and connect with them like never before. Then connect with new friends. As Matt will remind us all, it’s all about creating social connections. https://www.mattelson.com/