spectrum

Stainless steel / anodised aluminium / multi-chip LEDs / custom electronics

65 x 65 x 140mm each

SPECTRUM is an ornamental lighting feature, which also performs as an interactive sculpture. This work exploits the capabilities of solid-state lighting to explore human perceptions in relation to light and colour at a transitional point in the evolution of artificial lighting, when the highly iconic incandescent light bulb faced obselecence. Constructed from stainless steel, the seven bulbs represent the seven colours of the spectrum, with each wire bulb containing an ambiguous tear-shaped motif - water droplet, seed pod, flower bud, candle flame. Depending on their context, or in which ‘light’ they appear, they can signify any or all of these, collectively symbolising the elementary relationship between light, life, technology and humanity.

Each lamp is fitted with a multi-chip LED and custom-built electronics to mediate the behavior of the light via touch sensitive switches. This enables the lights to respond to user interaction, for example, when installed in single file the lamps respond to touch by sending a wave of light along the line of bulbs - a pulse of changing colour, enacting a sense of visual wonder, while also hinting at the potential sentience of our future machines.

This work was acquired by the Art Gallery of Western Australia in 2011 through the Peter Fogarty Design Fund.