Client

Overview

The original iteration of the eclipse artwork. Working with Hong Kong based curator Keith Lam, BAY ART Shenzhen was a group exhibition in a new shopping mall in the prestigious Shenzhen Bay area. The as-yet un-leased shopping spaces were converted into galleries and this huge room played host to the immersive marvel of the Eclipse. Using just water and light – the mist emitted from the ring eventually covers the floor with a reflective pool, completing the circle and creating a portal for people to walk through. As they move through the inch deep water, their ripples alter the reflection and produce a organically interactive experience of subjective phenomena.

It periodically erupts with mist, it’s symmetrical corona seemingly defying gravity and physical space. As the mist settles in the “off” cycle, the glowing halo continues to hover, with the inside completely dark – a shadow in space (as opposed to a surface), while the industrial surrounds complete the “sci-fi” atmosphere of a black hole in a room.

Goals

The layout of the room was chosen (with the artwork close to the entrance) so viewers would inadvertently become participants in the work as they walk through the ring. From there, at the far end of the room was the viewing space, where people appreciate the artwork from a distance and observe the others walking though, a shared but still deeply personal subjective experience.

Process

A few different designs were proposed over a period of a few months and we settled on a simple half ring, understanding that the water on the floor would complete the circle. Local fabricators and suppliers were contracted to produce the ring while an installation crew completed the install under the direction of the artist in 3 days.