‘marble with fluorescent tube’ by castor design studiomarble with fluorescent tube, installed at gallery house in toronto, ON, canada

 

 

considering its apparent simplicity, ‘marble with fluorescent tube’ by toronto-based castor design studio makes a wide variety of references, which at times, approach contradiction. the form of the sculpture’s base is a clear nod to the work of 1960’s minimalist artists. in contrast with these modern references, the material from which the bases have been executed – marble – is closely tied to the history of figurative sculpture. a final competing reference presents itself in the fact that the sculpture includes electronic components, and is, to a degree, interactive.

 

at first glance, ‘marble with fluorescent tube’s’ monolithic 2,500 pound base appears to be at odds with the banality of the bulb which sits on top of it. however, a closer examination of the sculpture reveals that the bulb is emitting light, although the pins through which a fluorescent bulb normally receives current remain unconnected, and the tube appears to be unpowered. the effect is achieved through the wireless transmission of electricity. the marble base houses a circuit that safely stores an electric current within a magnetic field, which is then transferred into the fluorescent bulb. while being displayed, the bulb sits in a channel carved into the sculpture’s marble base. it will continue to emit light if lifted several inches away.

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studiomarble with fluorescent tube, installed at gallery house in toronto, ON, canada

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studioclose-ups of the fluorescent bulb resting on marble base

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studioclose-ups of the fluorescent bulb resting on marble base

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studioclose-ups of the fluorescent tube in the dark

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studioclose-ups of the fluorescent tube in the dark

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studiosmaller version of marble with fluorescent tube, one in an edition of 10

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studiodemonstration of the fluorescent bulb being powered wirelessly

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studioinitial studies of bulb placement in relation to marble base, chalk on chalkboard

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studio1:6 scale plaster models of ‘marble with fluorescent tube’

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studiothe artist carving the bulb channel into the sculpture’s marble base

 

 

marble with fluorescent tube by castor design studiothe nearly complete bulb channel

 

 

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.