Client: Toledo Museum of Art

Overview

Kinetic Installation with 381 blown glass spheres with red liquid suspended on stainless steel wires
37 x 13 x 13 ft / 11.4 x 4.2 x 4.2 m (length x width x height)
Toledo Museum of Art, Glass Pavilion, Ohio, USA
Price: $ 85,000.-
Building architect: SANAA, Tokyo, Japan

Goals

The installation activates the inherent hitherto invisible energy in the Glass Pavilion’s courtyard. It exposes 381 suspended glass spheres to the subtle movements of the courtyard’s air current.

The blown glass spheres are hollow and filled halfway with red liquid. The movement of the whole array of spheres is reflected in the movement of the red liquid in each sphere. As the suspended spheres move within the space, the liquid responds to the movement and maintains a perfectly flat surface within each sphere. Although no electricity is used, the illumination of the objects by natural light creates a unique and ever-changing display of light, color, and shadow. The array is suspended about 16 inches above the floor and forms a square grid with a one foot pitch. The grid aligns with the 2 foot floor tile grid.

Process

The installation was part of my residence at the Toledo Museum's Glass Pavilion Residency. The technicians of the pavilion's glass studio fabricated the parts and help to install the artwork.