Kaleidosphere, 2020 – Olafur Elíasson

Kaleidosphere unites thirty different kaleidoscopes into a single, spherical sculpture. The sphere is mounted in a frame that can be rotated by viewers, enabling them to examine each kaleidoscope individually. Fragmentary forms are multiplied within the polished stainless-steel mirrors to conjure the illusory images of thirty different polyhedrons floating in virtual space. These rudimentary optical devices made from three or more mirrors have been an important line of inquiry for Eliasson for the last twenty years. The kaleidoscopes create the illusion of three-dimensional forms at the end of their open shafts, depending on the number and angle of the mirrors used, while incorporating the surroundings and visitors into the mirrored interiors.

Research:
Thirty kaleidoscope units are embedded in a spherical frame. Each unit uses three or more mirrors at specific angles so that the reflected image forms a virtual polyhedron. The mirror angles were calculated from the desired polyhedron symmetry (e.g. tetrahedral, cubic); the sphere's geometry and the frame's rotation axis were set so that the units are accessible and the sphere balances when turned. The study covered the mapping from mirror angle to apparent polyhedron and the mechanical layout for the sphere.