Fragmented Appearances

A giant humming top with mirror mosaic plays with movement, light and sound.

The mirror mosaic gives spectacular reflections in the surrounding of the top. The reflections and changing of colours create a dazzling and alienating ambience. Just a small beam of light on the mosaic gives a radiant burst of reflections from the fragments. The slowly turning of the top works reflective and relaxing, attracts the audience and fixes their attention, like watching a campfire. People can listen to the soundscape, which is based on manipulated sounds from humming tops and sounds from breaking and vibrating glass. It is both attractive and alarming. In this way the installation is both alienating and reflective, grounded and light.

Mirrors represent reflection, here they are broken and change the original image. The slow turning works repetitive and reflective. In contrary alertness is provoked by the sharp shelves and sounds of breaking glass. In this way mirrors are used both for alertness and reflection. With the shape of the toy these contradictions are given in a playful manner.

From a distance the reflections can be seen. In water the appearance of the installation is doubled by the reflections in the water. With its reflections the installation gives a beautiful connection between the light, water and the sky. From a distance the top appears to be metallic and less far it seems to have a fluid surface due to the altering direction of the mosaic fragments. More close one can see the details in all mutual reflections. The mosaic is made in different spiral-shaped layers, with each layer its own density of fragments. With transparent patterns in the mosaic, in opposite direction of the spirals, light patterns are made, with continuous changing colours.

In this installation mixing and combining of structures is used. Changing and manipulating these structures, and use of contradictions are important to make this work complete. The way light, sound and movement are used gives a strong connection between the work, its surroundings and the audience.