+ Powder coated steel, polished steel, dichroic glass, PC, sunlight sensor, dimmer, LED fixtures / 2018
+ Installed at Marie Reed Elementary School, Washington D.C.
+ Permanent public art commissioned by the Washington DC Government, Department of General Services, Percent for Art
+ Installed at Marie Reed Elementary School, Washington D.C.
+ Permanent public art commissioned by the Washington DC Government, Department of General Services, Percent for Art
Fabrication: Elemental
MetalworksÂ
Engineering: Keast & Hood - Rachel Tyler and Matthew Daw
Lighting Systems Design: David
CrumleyÂ
Video shot and edited by: Eloise SherridÂ
Special
thanks
to Kyle Whitley, Sandy Bellamy, Marie Reed Elementary School staffÂ
LIGHTWELL is a site-specific sculpture that creates ever-changing kaleidoscopic
shadow
drawings in the skylit atrium. As natural sun and artificial light, operating in a responsive system, shine upon
the
steel ribbons and dichroic glass, shadows and light refractions are cast about. At the convergence of art and
science, the artwork logs exterior sunlight conditions and registers this information through the cast shadows
and
light diffusion. LIGHTWELL tells a story about the passage of a day, the passage of time, and the presence and
intensity of the sun.
Â
The sculptural form is a column of powder-coated steel strips, with perpendicular spans of dichroic glass. At
the
top and bottom of the tower-like structure are mirrored surfaces, creating an infinite âhall of mirrorsâ effect.
LIGHTWELLâs transformative shadows are created using an inverse relationship between natural light (sunlight)
and
artificial light (the LEDs). The systems design uses a sunlight sensor and a NUC mini computer to continuously
log
sunlight conditions and adjust the upper LEDs in response to the intensity of sunlight. When the supply of
natural
sunlight is adequate, the LEDs are inactive, and vice versa.
Through an ever-changing array of light and shadow, LIGHTWELL celebrates transformation and diversity in
the
Adams-Morgan neighborhood of DC, a historic center for social justice, political activism and an immigrant
gateway. As the Adams-Morgan schools were formerly segregated, the consequent founding principles of the
Marie
Reed School & Community Center as a response to creating a community hub embracing inclusivity are
incredibly
significant. LIGHTWELL aims to create a total spatial experience, encourage proactive observation and create
a
shared sublime experience for students, teachers and visitors alike.Â
