In A Different Light
Lights, wires, computer control board; 15´ diameter
In A Different Light is an immersive exploration of perception, order, and the unseen forces that shape our experience. The installation consists of 144 incandescent light bulbs suspended from the ceiling in a spherical cluster approximately 15´ in diameter. Each bulb hangs at varying heights, the lowest approximately 10´ above the floor, creating a seemingly random spatial arrangement. Every light is connected to a central computer control board, enabling precise choreography of 64 distinct sequences through rapid on/off flickers—a binary language that animates the space.
At first glance, the bulbs appear suspended without pattern. Yet as they illuminate in sequence, invisible pathways emerge, revealing a continuous, ethereal form: a sphere traced by interlocking lines of light, like a perfectly wound ball of yarn. These displays dramatize the interplay between order and chaos, light and dark, while inviting reflection on perception itself.
The work extends beyond the visible, considering the unseen forces behind what we perceive. While a light bulb glows or extinguishes, the electrical current remains present, analogous to latent vision and potential understanding. Similarly, the pre-programmed sequences of the computer control the apparent randomness and emergent order, making visible the otherwise hidden architecture of light and movement.
In A Different Light situates the observer in a liminal space, where perception itself becomes a dialogue: one may follow the playful choreography of light and shadow, or attune to the underlying continuity and order that structures the experience. It is an inquiry into the duality of appearance and reality, and the pivotal role of the observer in discerning both.
With Special Thanks to Yasser Malaika, Guy Marsden and Ray Gruenig.