SPECIMENS OF TIME, SPECTRUM

Specimens of Time: Spectrum is an exhibition of data-driven light sculptures that preserve the atmosphere of Earth’s most precious natural environments—those slipping away in real time. Each sculpture acts as an illuminated artifact, capturing the ephemeral qualities of radiant sunlight, alpine snow, coral reefs, and ancient rainforests before they vanish or transform beyond recognition.

Fusing AI with real-time environmental data—such as rising ocean temperatures and airborne pollutants—these sculptural forms become living documents of ecological change. They don’t just represent nature; they contain it. Light, color, and rhythm shift in response to the planet’s changing conditions, turning abstract climate data into a visceral, ever-evolving experience.

At once scientific and visceral, Specimens of Time: Spectrum evokes a sense of presence and loss. As the planet’s ecosystems erode, these sculptures pulse, dim, flicker, and transform—acting as sentinels of change and memory. They invite the viewer not only to witness the fragility of the natural world, but to feel it—intimately, urgently, and in real time.

Four Sculptural Works from Specimens of Time: Spectrum

Specimens of Time: Hoh Rain Forest - Olympic Peninsula, Washington
Mirroring one of the world’s most preserved temperate rainforests, this sculpture reacts to real-time temperature data collected by six National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) across the Olympic Peninsula. Shifting hues — from cooler tones to warmer reds and oranges — trace the subtle but profound impact of rising temperatures on this ancient biome, exposing its fragile ecological future.

Specimens of Time: Mauna Loa - Hawaii
Capturing the pure, unfiltered essence of the sunlit sky over Mauna Loa, this sculpture dynamically responds to real-time air quality data gathered by the Hawaii State Department of Health from 16 monitoring stations. As air pollution levels rise, the sculpture’s yellow and red rays of light turn green, symbolizing the erosion of pristine skies.

Specimens of Time: Coral Triangle – Southwest Pacific Ocean
Depicting the vibrancy of one of Earth’s most pristine underwater landscapes, this piece reacts to the live data from NOAA Coral Reef Watch, its projections reddening as sea temperatures rise, visualising the bleaching of Earth’s most biodiverse marine habitat.

Specimens of Time: Jungfrau - Switzerland
A meditation on glacial retreat, the sculpture’s brightness, brilliance, and opacity fluctuate with the seasonal snowpack data. As temperatures rise, the sculpture’s brightness fades, with emerging shades of brown mirroring the retreat of the snowpack.

Materials: Optical filters, reflective materials, projectors, computer, custom software, metal hardware
Dimensions: 54 × 71 × 54 cm / 21.3 × 28 × 21.3 in and 54 × 63 × 54 cm / 21.3 × 24.8 × 21.3 in
Year: 2025