Client: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Overview

Commissioned for MSK’s new Computational Oncology Research Campus building in New York, this 40 foot mural titled “Wind Flags #4,” was created by pioneering multimedia artist Yoshi Sodeoka. The concept for the mural was developed in conversation with the MSK Computational Oncology Research team, who wanted a welcoming artwork that spoke to their mission as innovators studying cancer through computational science. Sodeoka composed the image from stills from his algorithmically generated videos that resemble oscillation patterns of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky chemical reaction, creating what he calls an almost “living composition” with its interplay of organic-looking and computer-generated-looking forms.

Goals

The goal of this project was to create an artwork to welcome staff, students, trainees and visitors to MSK's new Computational Oncology Research Campus. The spirit of the artwork needed to reflect the inspirational nature of the new building, which was designed to support the creative and future-facing research work of the building occupants.

Process

At the start of the project, Sodeoka met with MSK's Computational Oncology Research team to talk about what they do and what they were looking for in the artwork. Sodeoka worked iteratively on the project and, at the end, presented the team with variations on the final artwork to select from.