Alexander Reichstein: Time to Fly
Transparent glowing sculptures of sleeping humans floating in the air.
Light festivals happen at night, but night is the time for sleeping. We dream when we sleep, and we sometimes fly when we are dreaming. It is fascinating how a sleeping person’s body often resembles someone who really is flying, jumping, running, or climbing.
Reichstein’s sculptures depict different people asleep: men, women, and children lying on pillows, sometimes covered by blankets, but out of their beds, floating above us. The figures are nearly full size.
All of the sculptures fly in the same direction. They are fashioned from galvanized steel wire, and therefore quite firm, light, and transparent. Sprayed with a special paint, the steel wire glows at night when bathed in ultraviolet light. The installation is accompanied by quiet, somnolent music by Erik Satie.
Academy of Print (Moscow), University of Industrial Arts (Helsinki), b. 1957, Lives in Helsinki, Finland
Information
Artwork finished in:
2019
Light sources, materials, and equipment: Sculptures from steel wire, sprayed with UV-sensitive paint. Strong UV-lights (Typhoon). Musical background. UV-lights will be provided by the artist. The work needs audio equipment (player & speakers, to be provided by the host)
Dimensions of the work, approximately (width-height-depth): 15 x 5m, on 8m height. Can be adjusted.
Electricity consumption: Standard mains current (10A/16A).
Does the artwork use sound? Ambien sound.
Support and other structures: The work needs support structures, hanging points, or similar.
Structures, hardware, or other equipment needed from the client: Two parallel wires, stretched between trees or buildings on 7-10m height. Probably construction to mount the lights (can be mounted also on trees).Audio equipment needed.
Minimum height of the space: 6 m
Minimum square meters of the space: ---
Requirements for the space: darkness, temperature, colouring (light / dark / specific colour / other) etc.: Outdoor requirements: darkness, especially no lights behind the sculptures or close to them.
Building time and people required (estimate): Lift or crane and two workers, two days to mount and 3 hours to dismantle.
Artist's presence: Artist or their representative must be present during building.
Seen before at: Espoo Visual Festival 2019, Festival of Lights Berlin 2019, Kaamos Festival Helsinki 2020, Loviisa Finland 2020, Hamina Finland 2021, Lumo Light Fetsival Oulu 2022, Riihimäki Glows 2023, Lohja Museum 2024, Lux Söderlångvik 2024
