Barcelona-based German-born architect André Broessel of rawlemon has constructed an enormous glass ball lens filled with water capable of harnessing power from the sun and even the moon (last image), and converting it into usable energy. I have no idea about the practicality of its use, but it sure is gorgeous. Broessel proposes that the spheres could be embedded in buildings allowing for natural light to stream through while capturing valuable energy. See much more over on Designboom.
Lamp powered by 300 live apples, 2012
Vinegar Battery, 2011
Fruit Battery Still Life (Citrus), 2012
Coin Battery, 2010
Portland, Maine-based photographer Caleb Charland frequently merges art and science with his photographic experiments involving electricity, fire, and magnetism. One of his ongoing projects involves a series of alternative power sources created using fruit, coins, and even vinegar to power the lights in his long exposure photographs. The apple photograph above involved a nearly 11-hour setup as he carefully hammered 300 zinc-coated galvanized nails into apples (zinc reacts with acid in the apples creating electricity, science!) and used copper wiring to transfer the current to a standard living room lamp. Even then, the light was so dim it required a 4-hour exposure during which Charland fended off ravenous deer through the night with an impromptu shaker made from a tin can and wire nuts. You can read much more about the ordeal over on Discover, and here’s a video of the entire project coming together.
Caleb recent launched a new website where you can access a few years of his photography, I strongly urge you to at least look at his Demonstrations gallery. He’ll also have a few prints in an upcoming group show at Brancolini Grimaldi in London this September.
Here’s some phenomenal new work from photographer Brian Matthew Hart (previously) who is a master of drawing with light. Hart created a number of mosaics using individual exposures, the largest hand above, part of an unfinished diptych, is made from 324 photographs! I definitely urge you to check out his website for plenty more. (via l’acte gratuit
Photographer Janne Parviainen (previously) has been experimenting with a fun form of photographic light painting that resembles 3D topographical maps. Exposure times can take over 30 minutes as he carefully moves through the room with a light “tracing” every surface and object. See more in his light topography gallery.
For the past few weeks artist Antonin Fourneau has been working at the Digitalarti Artlab in Paris creating what’s being called his Water Light Graffiti system. The device utilizes a giant matrix of LEDs embedded in a moisture-sensitive panel that when exposed to water causes the lights inside to instantly illuminate. The fun thing is that almost anything becomes a temporary paintbrush: a wet hand, a squirt gun, a paintbrush or even an atomizer. Water Light Graffiti was recently put on display in Poitiers, France and you can watch the video above to see it in use, and here’s a short clip (in French) of Fourneau showing how the entire thing was constructed. Many more photos here.
The Xiying Rainbow Bridge is an elevated pedestrian walkway located in Magong, Penghu County in Taiwan. The bridge is lined with a thin neon band that reflects a rainbow onto the water’s surface below at night. (via gaks)
As part of his senior thesis exhibition at Musashino Art University in Tokyo, art student Yasutoki Kariya re-imagined the ubiquitous desktop gadget, Newton’s Cradle, using a lovely sequence of light bulbs. Entitled Asobi (which translates roughly as “playing“) the 11-bulb installation creates a visual interpretation of the popular toy named after Sir Isaac Newton demonstrating his third law of motion regarding momentum: that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. However, instead of actual energy created by the kinetic force of steel balls, Kariya devised a method for using programmed light and two surreptitiously placed pistons to create this purely visual experience that’s arguably more mesmerizing than the original concept.
As an added super bonus, the team over at the Experiments in Motion blog created the animation above which easily contends for one of the most beautiful animated gifs I’ve ever seen, already racking up over 167,000 shares on Tumblr this weekend.
Asobi was nominated for the 2012 Mitsubishi Junior Designer Award. (via spoon & tamago)
Montreal-based photographer Benoit Paillé has been working on a fascinating series of landscapes using a bizarre lighting method involving a suspended glowing square. The images above are not photoshopped, the 1×1 meter light is instead hung in the center of each photograph and the resulting image shows the unique form of illumination that creeps into the surrounding area. Paillé says his goal is to redefine what a landscape photograph is by questioning its reality, creating a kind of poetic moment in space and time. You can see many more of his Alternative Landscapes on Flickr.
You should follow Colossal on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to the Colossal weekly email digest or get amazing things in the mail via Quarterly.
sculpture • installation • paper • illustration • home • street art • portraits • posters and prints • wood • typography • animation • painting • video art • multiples • books • drawing • animals • people • recycling • light • food • birds • stop motion • Chicago • architecture • water • nature • black and white • music video • lighting • body • advertising • anatomy • maps • furniture • trees • history • kids • documentary • plants • faces • tableau • miniature • collage • toys • social • landscapes • timelapse • interactive • computers
If you're interested in advertising on Colossal, please get in touch with Nectar Ads.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
© 2010-2013 Christopher Jobson, all rights reserved, unless otherwise noted. I try my best to attribute images, videos, and quotes to their creators and original sources. If you see something on Colossal that's misattributed or you would like removed, please contact me. The Colossal logo and name Colossal are the trademarks of Christopher Jobson.
