Gravitational Grid
Vivid Sydney 2022
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Earth Deities
Vivid Sydney 2022
A monumental multi-limbed contemporary sculpture by day, dramatic light show by night
Public Art
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Project details
Sydney, NSW | Gadigal
2022Artist – Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran
Public Art Consultants – Creative Road
Lighting design and production design – Mark Dyson, Darkhouse Design
Sound – Rachel Dease
Engineering – Event Engineering
Artist’s assistants – Hugh Black, Zenani Graddon, Sebastian Nocelli, Sebastian Conti, Orson Heidrich
Technicians –Alex McCoy, Garrick Palmer
Photography – Mark Pokorny
Artist’s representative galleries – Sullivan + Strumpf | Sydney, Jhaveri Contemporary | Mumbai -
Background
Earth Deities is a large-scale sculptural form that links artist Ramesh Nithiyendran’s cultural background to contemporary culture.
Located on Hickson Road Reserve, the installation is positioned between famous Sydney landmarks – the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, the expressive grin of Luna Park’s entrance – and reflects upon Sydney as a global, multicultural city with plural histories.
The 8m tall ‘multi-limbed avatar’ provides a dramatic light show for Vivid Sydney 2022. The avatar, draped and surrounded by a range of production style lighting providing for a spectacular night time transformation.
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Process
Working alongside renowned artist Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Darkhouse lighting designer Mark Dyson, and Zoe Robinson-Kennedy, Curator, Creative Road – Tilt’s role was to deliver the concept through detailed design, and fabrication, installation, and commissioning.
Tilt visually translated the artist’s ceramic mock-up and supporting watercolour sketches into 3D CAD.
To provide the artist with a large-scale canvas to paint and adorn, the sculptural form was achieved through the cladding of hard-coated foam over a structural steel frame.
The opportunities for integration of speakers, lighting and smoke machines was also considered throughout the detailed design process. -
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The solution
The 8m tall part-idol, part-monster, part-hero gestures to a range of global sources that link the artists cultural background to contemporary culture at large. Lighting design by Darkhouse animates this vision by night.
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Artist – Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran
“The work extends core processes of my art practice – especially the transfiguration of earth, fire and water. However, I’ve considered electricity as another elemental force to anchor this guardian in the urban landscape. ”
Public Art Consultants – Creative Road
“We are thrilled to have assembled such an incredible project team. Through a rigorous competitive EOI process, Creative Road successfully pitched on behalf of artist Ramesh, securing the prestigious project with VIVID. Assuming the contract with Destination NSW, Creative Road engaged with Tilt to closely work alongside the artist team, ensuring the seamless delivery of the remarkable artwork.”
Lighting design and production design – Mark Dyson – Darkhouse Design
“Expressing Ramesh’s artistic vision in light is always a fun and challenging task. We have custom built a raft of alternative technologies to bring the figure to life and paint it in a range of moods and expressions. The final product reflects a synthesis between Rameh’s statics sculpture and the dynamism and vibrancy of theatrical lighting.”
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