fujiko nakaya wraps the glass house in a veil of dense fog

beginning on may 1st 2014, the renowned glass house designed by architect philip johnson in 1949 will be engulfed in a dense and ghostly layer of fog, as part of an installation staged by japanese artist fujiko nakaya. ‘veil’ is the first site-specific project to engage the historic structure, which occupies a vast promontory overlooking a valley in connecticut, usa. the sheet of hazy mist comes and goes: for approximately 10 minutes each hour, the monolithic transparent residence will seem to vanish, only to return to sight as the fog slowly dissolves in space. situated within the building, the sense of being outdoors will be temporarily suspended during the cloudy spells. the opaque atmosphere produced by the fog sculpture meets the building’s extreme transparency and temporal effects that complement its timelessness.

all images by richard barnes 2014 / courtesy of the glass house

changing wind patterns, as well as variable temperature and humidity, will continually influence the interchange between veil and the building it shrouds. fresh water, pumped at high pressure through 600 nozzles, will produce an immersive environment that reveals these dynamic and ever-changing conditions. nakaya describes the effect: ‘fog responds constantly to its own surroundings, revealing and concealing the features of the environment. fog makes visible things become invisible and invisible things — like wind — become visible.‘ the exhibition, which can be experienced until november 30th, 2014 coincides with the 65th anniversary of the glass house and its 2014 tour season.

the transparent structure will appear to vanish, only to return to sight as the fog dissipates

situated within the building, the sense of being outdoors is temporarily suspended during the misty spells

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