Client: Burning Man Organization and City of Davis CA

Overview

Dichroic mirror-steel butterflies hover 18ft high. The blue-green arching wings reflect at multiple angles, presenting a kaleidoscopic effect underneath the 18′ x27′ space. Delicate laser-cut patterns inspired by travels in India fused with cellular structures scatter light patterns around. Imago's elevated butterflies are light metaphors for the transformative flight of our own imagination: reverie, potential, renewal, metamorphosis. Imago literally means “image” in the sense of a reflection, and is also the actual term for the adult, fertile creature commonly referred to as a butterfly, having matured from the caterpillar phase.

Goals

It was important that this design would withstand exposure to nature's forces and the tactile interactions for its first install at Burning Man. Subsequently, it was installed for a year in downtown Reno. Since November 2017, it has been installed at Walnut Park in Davis, California.

Process

The first months, I worked alone, refining the wing and pattern design, which I then had rendered into CAD. For the last 5 months (of 9 months working from inception to install), I worked closely with a structural engineer to configure a frame that would express the lightness of my original vision, while withstanding the unpredictable, strong winds in the desert. Since butterfly wings are like sails, naturally designed to be lifted upward, it took careful adjustments to strike a perfect balance of artistry and engineering. It was challenging to install Imago the first time, even with 12-person crew, due to strong winds and limited visibility generated by dust storms sweeping through the desert that day.

Additional Information

Imago is currently installed at Walnut Park in Davis, with extended leg struts. It is available for long-term install/purchase.