luminaries installation of neon lights and reflection on glass by studio glithero

luminaries installation of neon lights and reflection on glass by studio glithero
image by studio glithero

within musée de la mine, a decommissioned coal mine in saint-etienne, france, glithero has realized an installation that plays with perception and the strong sensation of absence that the site evokes.

‘luminaries’ is comprised of two parts: a series of suspended neon lights that make a landscape of geometric forms, and wire frame structures that are contained within cases on the floor. as visitors pass through the space, these two elements are visually brought together by means of suspended sheets of glass that hang overhead. the wire frames appear to surround and interact with the lights as it matches the shape of the neon through the glass, but the resulting forms are optical not physical — the luminaries only exist in the eyes of the visitor. the image appears only when viewers stand straight in front the reflection, as it directly mirros the neon lights in a line to form a geometric design.

the three-dimensional image appears only when viewers stand straight in front the reflective surface

the work is a continuation of the london-based studio’s fascination with the moment things begin to exist or take shape. ‘luminaries’ builds upon these thoughts by acting as a work that only exists in a temporary form. it invites the visitor to question the values we place upon objects, possession and consumerism, whether we desire what you cannot touch or hold and if we still want what has no substance, poise or weight.

‘luminaries’ was commissioned by cité du design for the biennale internationale design saint-étienne 2015.

optical, three dimensional geometries come into view as visitors walk through the space

new shapes are formed when the viewer looks at the light through the glass reflection
image © designboom

the optics change based on the positioning of the viewer
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the original neon light is visible outside of the reflective glass circle
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from this angle, four of the neon lights are visible normally while the one on the far right becomes 3D
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detail of the ‘pipe’ design that visualizes when viewers stand in front of the glass
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the installation, and the forms created through the reflection, only exist in a temporary form
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the cone design is formed through the union of neon light and reflection on glass
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the reflection of the tube design can be half seen through the glass
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view of the wireframe sculpture contained on the floor
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drawings of the 3D shapes that come into view as the glass reflects neon light

sarah van gameren and tim simpson of glithero
portrait © designboom