2016-2017
freshwater pearl, filament, aluminum
44”Dx128”Wx118”H
Spirit Cloud is a hanging work made of over 33,000 freshwater pearls suspended in space by thousands of clear filaments. Like a three-dimensional pointillist painting, an image is formed by luminescent dots in space. This curvilinear form is inspired by Chinese garden stones and auspicious clouds.
Cloud is considered an auspicious sign and featured heavily in Chinese pictures and symbolism. It is perceived as a fusion of the elements of water and air, sky and earth. In Chinese legends, Gods and immortals always ride on clouds. Clouds affect the climate; but changes in the climate, in turn, affect the clouds. Clouds have always been signs of the weather to come. And no matter where in the world, cloud watching is always a fun activity for children of all ages and even adults. It bares our fantasies and dreams. So, I made this cloud – the shape is open for interpretation. It evokes a similar idea of continuous energy and movement.
On another level, the pearls mimic the structure of an actual cloud, little water droplets represented by the pearls create the illusion of a solid form. I also see it as a way to create an illusion of “pause time”, as if I press the pause button to capture the moment of the rapidly shifting cloud.
Photo credit: Toni Hafkenscheid