Enter into this captivating installation designed to transform your perception
Step into an awe-inspiring immersive installation by acclaimed artist and spatial designer Jacqueline Hen Prepare to have your perception completely altered as she skillfully manipulates light to transport you to extraordinary realms
Step into a world where space and self are lost in a void of darkness, broken only by grids of light and shifting tones that distort perception and awareness.
This surreal experience is made real with "Light High," an infinity illusion created by award-winning German artist Jacqueline Hens. Using thousands of LEDs, mirrors, water, and sound, this installation delves into the intersection of analog and digital.
Her installation at the annual Amsterdam Light Festival has won her the International Light Art Award. Jacqueline Hen describes her walk-in artwork as a Matrix-like experience, among the more than 20 exhibits lighting up the city's famous canals until January 21, 2024.
"Light enables the creation of new realities within a space," Hen explained to CNN prior to the light festival. "I find it very intriguing to experiment and explore the perception of reality, as well as proprioception - the perception of the body in space."
She also noted that creating the 60-square-meter (646-square-foot) installation was quite challenging.
"Hen emphasized the importance of building everything with extreme precision and perfect leveling, as even a one millimeter discrepancy in the mirrors could cause it to not function properly," stated by the photographer, who is using striking images to shed light on our connection with the planet.
Light as a portal to another world
She mentioned that although she finds pleasure in the entire procedure of setting up the electronics and welding, it can become monotonous at times, as she describes it as "having to go through thousands of steps before reaching the final artwork."
The artist and spatial designer from Cologne is renowned for her creation of immersive art experiences using light. She showcased "Formation of the Sun" at the Grindelwald Light Art Festival in Switzerland last year. With this installation, Hen aimed to depict the origin of our planet. (Image credits: Jacqueline Hen)
The installation showcased a 17-meter (56-foot) golden inflatable sphere crafted from holographic foil, filled with haze and emitting sounds. Two intense light beams puncture the sphere's center, casting shattered reflections throughout the space with the help of mirrored artifacts, giving the illusion that "the light is bending the space to its gravitational center," according to Hen.
Inspired by the collision theory of the galaxy's creation, Hen aimed to create an immersive and emotional space that blurs the lines between mythical and scientific thinking.
In Dortmund, Germany, a recent installation titled "Sympoiesis" featured human performers as part of the artwork. The installation included "futuristic beekeepers" interacting, examining, and distributing thousands of tiny lights meant to resemble insects.
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Meet the artist making Matrix-like light exhibits
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CNN
"This work was about the overlay of performance and everyday life to create alternate realities," she said.
The artist's creative process starts with observing a space and imagining how people would interact with it, leading to the development of concepts and techniques. Although Hen never intended to pursue a career as a light artist, her lifelong fascination with different forms of light led her to experiment with the medium while in university. Currently, she is nurturing future designers as an assistant professor at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne.
"Hen expressed the importance of creating a space that encourages students to freely experiment, discuss, question the status quo, and feel secure in expressing their thoughts. She is determined for her efforts to cultivate a shift in perspective and provide individuals the opportunity to break away from their everyday routine."
