SpY's divided sphere installation illuminates xi’an in bright red light

SpY divides a red luminous sphere into two identical halves

DIVIDED is an illuminating installation by Spanish urban artist SpY presented during the Lighting Xi’an Festival 2025, China. The public artwork forms part of the artist’s ongoing investigation into the relationships between body, space, scale, and perception. The project examines how light and monumental form can reshape spatial experience and alter the reading of an urban environment.

The installation consists of a large luminous sphere rendered in red light and divided into two identical hemispheres that are positioned apart from one another. Each half is housed within a metal framework constructed from industrial scaffolding, a system commonly associated with temporary construction. In this context, the scaffolding operates as both a structural support and a visible component of the work, establishing a contrast between the rigid, cubic geometry of the frame and the smooth curvature of the spherical forms. This juxtaposition introduces a condition of containment, in which the sphere appears simultaneously revealed and restrained.

all images courtesy of SpY

in SpY’s DIVIDED installation, Light becomes the primary material

Monumental in scale, the installation establishes a direct spatial relationship with the surrounding environment and the human body. The work is experienced not only as an object in space but also as a spatial configuration that responds to proximity and movement. Visitors can pass between the two hemispheres, entering the gap created by the division of the sphere. This passage functions as a corridor of light, in which the viewer becomes positioned within the work rather than observing it from the exterior.

In DIVIDED, interaction is directed inward, emphasizing immersion and bodily engagement. The use of red light, recurrent in the artist’s recent projects, defines the atmosphere of the installation and contributes to a suspended spatial condition shaped by illumination rather than enclosure alone. The work reconfigures the site through light, scale, and movement, positioning perception itself as a central material. DIVIDED is part of SpY’s Earth series, which also includes Earth and Confronted. The series has been presented in multiple cities, including Madrid, Athens, Riyadh, and Ghent, and addresses themes of fragmentation, coexistence, and spatial confrontation through large-scale luminous installations.

DIVIDED by SpY at the Lighting Xi’an Festival 2025