Living in modern society can often feel like one giant hustle, where our minds are in a constant state of content overload and breaks only exist in the confines of a Google Calendar. Finding mental release in this dog-eat-dog metadata-driven existence is undoubtedly important, and the video platform Moodica thinks they have an answer for temporary serenity.
“We’re always connecting to our phones and computers these days, getting pinged with a never ending to-do list, and it’s stressful,” Moodica’s project lead Simone Barsky tells Creators. “We thought it would be great if there was a place online where you could take something like a mental vacation.”
Launched less than a year ago, Moodica is an online video library featuring a range of clips meant to put you at ease, offering hundreds of visually hypnotic ways to do so. Categories like Strangely Satisfying, Exotic Travels, Animals, Ambiance and Trippy don’t fail in delivering relaxing stimuli, taking a viewer on a meditative journey of well shot footage or creatively thought-out art pieces.
“We don’t want to define exactly how to use it,” says Barsky. “People are using it to take mental breaks, to fall asleep, or even just for art on their screen to create a beautiful ambiance in their home. We want to provide an experience which allows people to use it in whatever way works for them.”
The selection represents “a universal need to take a break from your day,” Barsky continues. “We try to find things that are hypnotizing, unique, and comforting to really get lost in.”
That pause can be anything from waves crashing underneath a boardwalk to watching Anna Labedzki’s vibrant paint mixing. It’s all moving imagery that sometimes reflects the beautiful simplicities of real life, or plays off one’s imagination, like Robert Ek‘s floating human sushi.
While Moodica viewers are making requests for content more and more, Barsky’s team predominately scours the globe (predominantly via Instagram) to find and commission suitable work that fits the platform’s relaxation mandate. The result is a diverse set of artists working across mediums to produce video that’s gratifying and addictive.
“We really hope to become a place where we can feature artists that we like to support and give attention to,” explains Barsky. “We like to keep their art very clean and minimalist, in terms of how we’re presenting it, so any artist featured on Moodica is getting full attention on a full screen for as long as they want.”
Other notable artists included on the site are graphic designer Javier Perez and domino artist Lily Hevesh, with Moodica also engaging non-profits such as the Hakai Institute, who share their research on marine life through their mesmerizing videos.
But be careful, as you may end up wasting hours on Moodica, both for its alternative way to engage with art and because it’s a one-stop shop for mindfulness.
“We’re just so excited to be making something that speaks to so many different types of people,” says Barsky. “It feels great to build this community of artists and video editors who can showcase their work, but at the same time, provide an experience to people that crosses language barriers and is really happy and comforting.”
Check out Moodica’s videos for yourself here. The platform is also available on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Samsung Tizen.
Via Creators
