Thursday Salute to Originals: Make It Rain
Dynamic, luminescent sculptures shift with light in response to the surrounding world.
Japanese artist Rui Sasaki merges glass sculpture, a phosphorescent material, broad-spectrum UV lights, and motion detectors to create an immersive, interactive series of sculptures.
As viewers approach the installations, the sculptures emit a subtle blue glow that dances through the forms, mimicking the weather patterns of a recent forecast. The “light dance” shifts brightness, color, and hue to translate the unpredictable behaviors of the sky.
In addition to the variations in weather patterns, the light show’s motion sensors will trigger a unique display based on the movements of each patron. No two experiences are the same, adding to the excitement of the work.
“If a viewer remains in the gallery for an extended period, the next viewer will see the work glowing weakly in the darkness. With longer viewing time, the light of the phosphorescent glass fades, moment by moment, until finally the gallery is plunged into darkness. This might occur a minute later, or a day later, depending on viewer movements,” explained Sasaki in a statement.
While many of the sculptures invoke themes of weather through raindrop shapes and celestial orbs, others include domestic scenes like plates and even a chandelier. These contrasting shapes focus the chaotic and unpredictable weather with the lost stability of home life Sasaki feels after leaving Japan for the United States.
This Thursday, we’re saluting Rui Sasaki’s dynamic glass sculptures. You can get a preview of the artist’s design process on YouTube and follow her future installations on Instagram.
Sources: Rui Sasaki, This is Colossal