Blue Visions of an Iridescent Soul
This is part of a larger artwork. See the full artwork series:
Blue Visions of an Iridescent Soul expands the boundaries of Harris' practice, providing a microscopic study of a butterfly’s wing. Noting that their wings lack inherent colour, and instead rely on intricate micro-scaler structures to create hue when met with light, Harris explores the unpredictability of their surface appearance.
The original hand-painted elements at this scale are eroded by software, and what remains is an abstract shifting colour study that in certain states of flux assimilates a landscape or architectural structure. The work appears as a rippling iridescence of blues and greens, reflecting the changing light structures unique to each visitor.
Much like the Impressionists’ preoccupation with capturing the shifting light on a landscape over the course of a day, this space masterfully maps individual experience in the environment via sensors. Almost topographical in its rendering, this monumental scale appears like rolling hills or rippling waters.
The Collection
Images
Information
Year:
2024
Edition:
Limited Edition
Materials:
multiple 4K Video Projectors, 3d Sensors, Laser Rangefinders, Code, Electronics
Details:
Dimensions in MM:
Dimensions in INCHES:
Dimensions in INCHES:
Context
The title, "Blue Visions of an Iridescent Soul," encapsulates the duality of the work. "Blue Visions" speaks to the immersive and dynamic interplay of blue hues within the space, an effect that shifts with the viewer's perspective, much like the transient beauty captured by the Impressionists. The "Iridescent Soul" element goes deeper, suggesting that just as the butterfly's wing reveals new colours with each shift in light, our own souls reflect multifaceted depths when viewed through different conditions.
This immersive installation represents the largest amplification of butterfly detail that Harris has ever undertaken. By magnifying the intricate structures of the butterfly wing, the installation explores the phenomenon of iridescence, where the intricate micro-scalar structure within the butterfly wing creates the phenomenon of ‘structural colour’. where colours appear as a result of natural light being manipulated by nanostructures.
The interactive digital interpretation of these complex nano-structures comes alive as viewers navigate the installation, their movements dictating the colours they perceive. Each individual’s journey through the space is unique, reflecting the complex and iridescent nature of our own inner worlds.
The Impressionists taught us to see the world through new eyes, capturing the fleeting beauty of light and colour with their innovative brushstrokes. In much the same way, this installation invites you to experience the natural phenomenon of iridescence, magnified to reveal the intricate details of the Morpho Helena butterfly wing. Each microscopic scale acts like a brushstroke, creating an immersive, ever-changing visual tapestry of colour.