Cyclorama

Atelier Ten worked closely with British visual artist, Rachel Wilberforce, designing and detailing the lighting which formed an integral element of her landmark contemporary public realm artwork for Southwark: Cyclorama.

Cyclorama forms part of a project to regenerate the local area and create an exciting new destination for local communities. The sculpture has been commissioned by Network Rail, as part of a wider collaboration with Southwark Council and Better Bankside, to secure funds for public realm infrastructure in the area. Cyclorama is situated above the renowned Union Theatre on the viaduct and takes its name from the term used to describe the lit back wall or curtain often used to depict the sky in theatrical productions. Celebrating the heritage of the theatre as well as the history of the fashion and textile industries in the local area.

The elegant dynamic spiral is made of stainless steel, mirror polished on one side and spray painted a vibrant red on the other. Side-emitting fibre optic lighting glows along each curve fed from two high powered RGB LED projectors mounted remotely from the sculpture.

The theatricality of the sculpture is further emphasised by a projected colour palette that subtly changes as it moves in mirror-image reverse. Day and night, sunrise and sunset, continuously moving light and colour from the projectors create a fluid light curvature that smoothly follows the contours of the sculpture working in unison with the fluctuating lighting conditions and surface reflections in a shifting experience and cycle of the artwork and its surroundings.