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Giant Floating Dandelion Made of Over 3,000 Hand-Blown Glass Orbs

BySara Barneson October 13, 2015

艺术家Wolf Buttresshas created a sculptural installation that looks like a giant dandelion wafting in the breeze. Its center, surrounded by delicate, tiny florets, mimics the flower's wispy shape and feel. TitledLucent, this larger-than-life orb is suspended above a darkened, reflecting pool that mirrors the brilliant illuminated tips, doubling its stunning presence.

Although it has the soft appearance of a dandelion, Buttress producedLucentwith another, much larger, natural body in mind–the universe. The installation's name, derived from the Latin “to shine,” and its 3,115 hand-blown glass spheres represent stars on a map that are visible to the naked eye from the Northern hemisphere. To fully realize this sublime, suspended sculpture, Buttress affixed fiber optic cables to each orb, producing the piece's diffused glow. Additionally, he ensured its spatial accuracy by working with astrophysicist Dr. Daniel Bayliss of Australian National University. Buttress also uses the reflective aspect of the piece as more than a visually appealing element, it is a conceptually integral part ofLucent. Its mirroring on the water suggests the Southern hemisphere, and implies a sense of infinity at the same time.

Lucentwas specially created as the center piece for the lobby of the iconic John Hancock Center in Chicago where it is currently on view.

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