Beautiful Light: 4 LETTER WORD MACHINE, 2009

D. A. Therrien - Phoenix, AZ, USA

Light Installation

Suspended 65 metres in the air between the Viljo Revell-designed Toronto City Hall towers, the four 7m square alphanumeric quartz lamp arrays will display codes, DNA sequences and elemental words. With each of the four "characters" consisting of 16 light segments, the machine is capable of displaying nearly 4.94 billion distinct graphic combinations, facilitating the expression of any word in any language. Automated code sequences will run between live performance times.

Since 1984, D.A. Therrien has been creating large-scale spectacles as rituals of technology utilizing machines, computers, information displays, high intensity light, robotics and live electricity in complex interactions with human performers/operators. His performances in Europe, Asia and North America address man's relationship to political and religious systems, medical technology, surveillance, information systems and other 20th and 21st century technologies that are now pervasive in everyday life.

Suitable for all ages

In association with Scottsdale Public Art, 4LWM sound design: waveformanalogueresearch

Supported by: