EARTH
PRAYER
LIGHT & SOUND
INSTALLATION
CONCEPT
Earth Prayer is an immersive art installation made up of eight large illuminated sculptural, organic forms clustered as a "light garden" in public spaces.
Together the illuminated forms rise up to four metres, a glowing installation visible from a distance, drawing people in and encouraging them to pause or move in response to the entrancing light and sound. As visitors get closer the botanical forms appear to communicate through colour, rhythm, vibration and gentle spoken prompts, a form of synaesthetic storytelling revealing a forgotten language of interconnection.
Inspired by communication systems within nature, such as the way the underground network of mycelium communicate with trees, Earth Prayer is designed to connect with audiences of all ages, prompting them to slow down, notice more deeply, and experience their connection to the natural world - encouraging a simple shift from seeing nature as something separate to each one of us, to recognising ourselves as a part of it.
Rather than presenting a fixed story, Earth Prayer creates an environment where meaning emerges through experience; perception shifts, attention deepens and connection is felt rather than explained.
LIGHT & SOUND
The light sequence moves from quiet activation through soft colour intensities into a shifting rhythmic activity, where pulse-like waves and chromatic bursts gather toward a luminous crescendo before gradually returning to stillness. A soundscape moves with it. Layered harmonic tones, natural sounds (birdsong, water, wind through trees), experimental composition and gentle narration creates an immersive atmospheric language that gives a sense of communication across the installation.
Using DMX programming with LED lighting (par cans and rope light) integrated throughout the sculptural forms, the installation moves through a 15-minute cycle. Spoken prompts invite visitors to pause, listen, notice their breath or become more present, gently deepening engagement allowing visitors to have their own "micro-moments" making them a part of the experience.
THE SEEDS
Drawing on natural shapes, seed structures and sacred geometries, the giant sculptural forms are beautiful, recognisable, yet alien at the same time. The fabric surfaces diffuse and amplify light, introducing tactility and sensory depth to the multi-sensory installation.
The sculptures will be constructed using internal wooden frameworks alongside moulded fibreglass and textile surfaces. A base layer of fibreglass cloth and epoxy resin will provide durability and weather resistance, while a top-coated textile layer will add sensory richness.
For this iteration, eight sculptures (approx 2 - 3m in diameter and up to 4m in height) will be grouped together to form a stunning "garden" of ever changing light and sound. The structures are adaptable to site-specific configurations in a variety of contexts and fully scalable. They are also modular and thus able to be flat-packed / stacked together for ease of transport and storage.
AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE
Earth Prayer is designed for all ages, experienced individually or in groups - families, festival-goers and public audiences who don't typically engage with art and culture regularly. It will be welcoming, intuitive and accessible, requiring no prior knowledge to engage and enjoy the experience.
By day the work will function as a sculptural intervention in the landscape; by night it will transform into a glowing beacon, drawing audiences by offering a restorative moment to pause and step away from the intensity of everyday life.
Visitors will engage and wander around the forms, pausing as the light and sound changes and catches their attention. The work can be enjoyed briefly in passing for 30 seconds or pausing in slower contemplation for 5 minutes or longer - flexible to how each audience member chooses to engage and interact.
A child might approach the forms as if entering their own storyworld; adults might encounter Earth Prayer as a quieter reflective experience, and families might take part together in awe as the installation shifts from high energy and back to stillness.
The installation will be physically accessible, with space and clear pathways for wheelchair users, and consideration of neurodivergent audiences and those with other barriers to engagement through its gentle pacing, non-intrusive audio-visual design.
TECHNICAL OVERVIEW
The installation will consist of eight illuminated sculptural forms arranged responsively to site, designed for outdoor festival and public realm contexts, including winter presentation.
The modular design enables ease of transport for touring and components are made with durability and sustainability in mind. The sculptures will be self-contained systems including lighting, cabling and sound, developed with:
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Standard 240V power supply
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PAT tested components
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Wind loading certification by a qualified engineer
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Repairable modular structural elements
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Low-impact installation methods adaptable across varied sites
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Full scalability
PRODUCTION
An outline of the steps for fabricating the sculptures:
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Make a working prototype and test with lighting.
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Make freehand sketches of the models. Using CorelDRAW software turn them into vector images - need to be red hairline and saved as DXF or SVG files (more info), to work out scale and pattern cutting layout for wooden components.
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Book an induction session at Bristol Design Forge for using their laser cutter and cut wood components.
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Assemble wood components and cover with protective wrapping. Create cardboard moulds covered with parcel tape on wood structure.
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Create base layer of fibreglass using epoxy resin. Add top layer of textural detail. Leave to set for 12 hrs and then trim away excess fabric. Leave for 24 hrs to set solid.
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Remove moulds. Assemble fibre glass shell pieces to wood structure (attaching with screws)
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Once all sculptures are assembled work with light & sound design to create working installation.
EXAMPLES OF WORK
