michael candy handcrafts helical kinetic light sculpture

michael candy handcrafts helical kinetic light sculpture
all images courtesy of michael candy

suspended within the walls of an old dockside warehouse in india, a creature waves its long arms upwards and downwards in a hypnotizing fashion. the plywood and metal body articulates 18 fluorescent tubes that radiate waves of light onto the surrounding architecture as they gently move around its spine. the overall effect is anamorphic, where the individual beams move as one, floating above the surface of the ground. completed over the course of one month during the kochi artist in residency program, this describes the work of creative mind michael candy called ‘big dipper.’

for the construction, the australia-based artist collaborated with a local metal shop to craft some of the more complex metal components. these intricacies are apparent in the roller chains located along the main axis of the structure that move around the circumference of a steel circle located between every pair of bulbs. their stability is ensured by two zip ties that connect back to the jigsaw-cut wooden modules following the rotation of the central helix mechanism.

from below the constituent parts driving helix become visible

each plywood pattern has been cut by jigsaw and paper templates 

individual arms conform to the shape of the central helix.

first set of fluorescent lights attached

nearing completion

the frame before the helix is inserted

view from above

local workshop team lending a hand to shape the helix

the local bearing shop owner

the artist and the workshop team

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.