dancing feathers by ray king

dancing feathers and reflections

dancing feathers is a suspended sculpture – designed by artist ray king – and installed in the entry plaza of the luzhou metro rapid transit station in taipei, taiwan.

the feathers, made of a lightweight structure of stainless steel and glass, intertwine as if dancing in space like romeo and juliette, the glass disc elements (laminated with cyan and magenta, dichroic film coatings that change color depending on the light) project and reflect light and colors into the surrounding shaded space, transforming the concourse into a public performance space of changing light patterns.

using solar analysis to position the sculpture for maximum sunlight exposure, the top (blue) feather is oriented towards the direction of the south meridian. in mid-day, direct sunlight passes through the glass dome of the oculus, reflecting colors from the dichroic-coated glass elements onto the floor and wall surfaces. while the feathers dance above, king has also embedded dichroic glass cylinders (“jewels”) in the black granite floor to create a luminous golden spiral.

the colored light reflections interact with the public, surprising and inspiring commuters as they move through the station. these small moments bring joy and a connection to the natural world to the transit riding experience. ray king is an artist who uses the natural phenomena of light as it interacts with glass and optics as an art medium. utilizing mathematics, optics and geometry, his sculptures to create a unique visual experience that changes based on natural light conditions and point of view.

lush daylight shot

night shot

dancing feathers in oculus with reflections

view looking up

detail of dichroic glass and reflections

detail of feather tip

Dancing Feathers from Ray King Studio on Vimeo.

passengers encountering the dancing feathers

ray king installation shot

looking down during installation

plaque in granite floor with golden spiral of jewels

section drawing of dancing feathers in metro station oculus

http://www.rayking.nu/

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