AQuatica
The Project
An immersive ocean-inspired installation, coming to Burning Man 2025.
A mutant glowing kelp tree (forged steel) grows strange jellyfish with colorful, glass-like bodies (resin, inks) and optical fiber tentacles lit by LEDs. This aquatic canopy undulates in the wind, as ocean sounds float from above and around the tree, immersing participants in an ethereal seascape.
Jellyfish Lanterns
Aquatica features thirty two unique, hand-sculpted colorful resin jellies. Each jelly extends 8 glowing optical fiber tentacles. In total, 800 LEDs light the lanterns. At night, the jellies and tentacles create a glowing canopy of undulating color and light.
Engineering and Construction
Aquatica is constructed in three parts - the 4ft root base (eight 2.5" diameter tubes welded to a base plate), the 10' trunk (eight 2" tubes telescoped into the roots), and the 18' diameter canopy made from 16 horned branches (1.25" tubing and Y channels).
The round nodes (placed over the Y channels that connect the horned branches) contain the data boxes for the jellyfish lights.
Philosophy
I explored how to recreate the immersive feeling of being underwater in my previous piece (Apex of Azure), which uses light, plexiglass, resin, and fire. With this piece, I would like to continue working with some of the same effects (transparency, light), but explore new lighting techniques (optical fiber) and the use of resin in an organic and sculptural way (vs. as a medium to paint on top of plexiglass).
I am also fascinated by the intersection of technology and nature. Aquatica is a mutant, haunting lifeform that uses electronics and unconventional materials (resin, optical fiber) to communicate an underwater world.