Dezeen Magazine

RGB lighting installation by Flynn Talbot casts multicoloured shadows

Red, blue and green lights moving across a faceted triangular structure created multicoloured shadows in this installation by Australian lighting specialist Flynn Talbot (+ movie).

Talbot, whose studio focuses on lighting installation design, created a three-sided panel with one surface covered in spiky cardboard structures of up to two metres in length. This piece was mounted onto a wall at the PSAS gallery in Perth, Australia, for the Primary exhibition.

Primary lighting installation at PSAS by Flynn Talbot

Red, blue and green spotlights were used to cast light onto the panel's protruding polygons, creating a 10-minute-long sequence of moving and overlapping colours across its surface.

The projected primary colours mixed in different combinations to create cyan, magenta and yellow, which in turn blended into various tonal shadows when reflected off the angled facets.

Primary lighting installation at PSAS by Flynn Talbot

"Colour in light is different to paint for example," Talbot told Dezeen. "Red and green paint make brown but with light they create yellow. The wall sculpture is designed to break up the light and explore the mixing of colour."

Primary lighting installation at PSAS by Flynn Talbot

Mounted at the back of the room, the installation was viewed front on by visitors as they first entered the space. They could then walk to either side of the panel to gauge the length of the 121 cardboard spikes, which were CNC cut and glued by hand.

"Visitors to the exhibition were presented with a long view of the piece, most thinking it was simply a 2D projection on the wall," Talbot said. "On a closer look the three-dimensionality of the work became apparent and the depth of the polygons could be seen."

Primary lighting installation at PSAS by Flynn Talbot

The light show was accompanied by a soundscape also created by Talbot, who aimed to create an immersive environment and specific atmosphere within the gallery.

"A completely dark space with light radiating off the piece and a subtle soundscape created a very deliberate mood," Talbot said. "People walked in talking but the gallery was quickly very quiet."

Primary lighting installation at PSAS by Flynn Talbot

"Primary was conceived when I lived and worked in Berlin," said Talbot. "Almost two years later I found a temporary home for it in my home town of Perth, Australia. After many experiments with different light sources and cardboard structures I found a balance of dark and light to create a deeply moving installation."

The exhibition took place from 15 March to 5 April. Photography is by John Madden.