Biolumen

Biolumen, by Radha Chaddah x RAW Design, is a co-production of Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, the City of Mississauga and Culture Shawinigan of the City of Shawinigan, with distribution by QDSinternational. 

Aluminum, polycarbonate and LED lights
2023

About the artwork

Biolumen presents a modular series of radiolarian sculptures, with an original score that changes over time. At night the sculptures become luminescent, with a central light source projecting colorful beams through their perforated skeletons, spilling out onto the surrounding environment.  

People can immerse themselves in this light and explore the changing patterns produced by this interactivity.    

In the daytime, the differentially coloured inner and outer layers of the Radiolaria sculptures become visible and offer viewers a different way to experience the materiality and texture of each of these sculptural creatures.   

The accompanying sound installation emanates from within the sculptures. It is an ambient sonic landscape that is driven to change over time. 

Creation: Radha Chaddah

Designer: RAW Design

Co-production: Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, the City of Mississauga and Culture Shawinigan of the City of Shawinigan

Distribution: Quartier des Spectacles International (QDSinternational)

Executive production, touring: Jack World

About the artists

Radha Chaddah

Radha Chaddah is a Toronto based visual artist and scientist. Her work examines the interconnectedness of our material reality from the micro to the macro. In her studio she designs large scale projected light installations for public exhibition. She prepares samples and shoots much of this imagery in laboratories at the University of Toronto. There, Radha uses the tools of research science to grow cells using embedded fluorescent light-emitting molecules. She examines these cells and myriad other fragments of nature using a variety of imaging systems from light-based laser confocal fluorescent microscopes to non-light based ultra-high magnification scanning electron systems. 

For more, follow @radha.chaddah on Instagram, or visit Radha’s website.

RAW Design

RAW Design is a Toronto-based architectural firm that works on a wide variety of scales and project types. From community greenhouses to large residential developments, not to mention outdoor interactive installations, its team of 60 architects and designers takes a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach. For Prismatica, the firm assembled a team of professionals from several fields (applied science, technology, art and architecture). 

For more, follow @rawdesignto on Instagram, or visit RAW Design’s website.

More information

This artwork was exhibited as part of Winter Magic on Celebration Square in November and December, 2023.   

This artwork is available for rental. Visit QDSinternational for more information.