Wood/Light II - Tangle (2021)

47" x 52" x 5"
Wood, 3D printed PLA, acrylic, LEDs, electronics, software


This work is the first in a series of geometric “tangled” forms that float off the wall. Each appears to be solid wood with plastic joints, yet unexpectedly illuminates from within. The series is part of an ongoing investigation of merging technology with natural materials, creating surprising juxtapositions of both form and behavior.


The shapes start as hand drawn sketches, then become 3D models randomized and mutated with a parametric process subject to both aesthetic and structural constraints. Those shapes are then selected and “cross-bred” while further tweaked by hand, in a back and forth between artist and software.


The geometry and light patterns of each sculpture in the “Tangle” series are intended to hover between organic and synthetic. The colors and shapes are derived from natural systems, manipulated to create shifting glowing patterns within. The first edition, shown here, is derived from the ocean: fluid dynamics, coral reefs, and aquatic life. The unfolding motion of a living system is abstracted into light behavior that seems ambiguously both alive and programmed.


Fabrication team: Casie Bergner, River Friedman, Lahna Moustapha, Lucie Potin


Software team: Natalija Boljsakov, Philip Cadoux, Gilad Dor, Alejandra Rojas


Concept render: 5 algorithmic variations

Parametric process behind form generation

Using Format