Interactive kaleidoscope experience and workshops

The Kolossal Kaleidoscope is coming to International Towers

Light and mathematical artists Laura Jade and Leslie Marsh have partnered with Cave Urban Architecture to create a kaleidoscope of gigantic proportions, hosted within International Towers. 

The eight-metre long installation will be built live before an audience of the International Towers community and visitors. Supported by the NSW Government and City of Sydney’s City Centre Revitalisation grant scheme, the installation is a partnership with International Towers aimed at injecting fresh inspiration into the daily experiences of workers returning to the workplace.

Kolossal Kaleidoscope is a giant mirror prism which transforms the surrounding environment into a firmament of light, colour and movement. Inspired by humanity’s predisposition for pattern recognition, the installation draws on the science of optics and light to explore the phenomenon of symmetry. From daylight to dusk, the kaleidoscope will reshape the natural world into a shifting orb of beautiful hues and patterns. At different times of the day, the colour of the sky, the movement of the clouds and the angle of the sun will create a spectacular array of changing visual effects giving observers a moment for contemplation and transformation.

Don't miss the opportunity to interact with the designers and see firsthand the possibilities that emerge when creative and artistic thinking is applied to science, engineering and maths. Alongside viewing the build itself, you are invited to participate in free kaleidoscope making workshops. Here you will apply the mathematical principles of reflection and symmetry to create a unique work of art. Using recycled materials to create your own mini kaleidoscopes, you’ll gain an insight into the challenges and rewards involved in making a large-scale artistic installation. You can also combine recycled plastics, metals and glass to create interactive elements for the full-size kaleidoscope.

The tapered nature of the kaleidoscope will create the illusion of a giant floating orb when you poke your head into the opening. Throughout the day the changing natural light in the Tower Three South lobby will transform the orb into a beautiful movement of hue and pattern, giving you a moment for contemplation and transformation.

On arrival, you will be required to check-in through the Service NSW app, as part of our COVID safety protocols. 

Over the past six years, Cave Urban has collaborated with Laura Jade and Leslie Marsh to produce a number of large scale installations that meet at the intersection of architecture, lighting design, mathematics and art for the Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland, the World Bamboo Workshop in Manipur, India, and Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney. Kolossal Kaleidoscope is their first collaboration with International Towers and City of Sydney.

When: 4 February - 3 March 2021
Monday to Friday 08:00am – 05:00pm
Where: International Towers, Tower 3, South Lobby

Attend one of our Interactive kaleidoscope experience - "Kute Kaleidoscope" workshops

Here you will apply the mathematical principles of reflection and symmetry to create a unique work of art. Using recycled materials to create your own mini kaleidoscopes, you’ll gain an insight into the challenges and rewards involved in making a large-scale artistic installation. You can also combine recycled plastics, metals and glass to create interactive elements for the full-size kaleidoscope.

Book to attend a workshop here:

Creators/Collaborators
Cave Urban - https://www.caveurban.com/
Laura Jade - https://laurajade.com.au/
Leslie Marsh - http://lesliemarsh.net/
Juan Pablo Pinto - http://www.juan-pablo.com/
Lachlan Brown

Meet the Artists

	Laura Jade Laura Jade is a multidisciplinary artist working in the fields of art, biology, illumination design, neuroscience and BCI (brain-computer interface) technology to explore new ways of perceiving and interacting with our inner biological processes. She holds a Masters in Lighting Design from the UTS, a BA in fine arts and biology, and further studies in science communication and museum studies. Laura uses art as a method of engaging with scientific tools, methodologies and research in order to incorporate human subjectivity and meaning. Her practice explores the frontier of these advancements through installations and sculptures that reflect our inner biology in new sensory ways, allowing audiences to work in harmony with technology, gain self-insight and have transformative experiences. Laura’s interest in the science of light and optics led her to team up with data analyst and filmmaker Leslie Marsh to create data-driven kaleidoscopic artworks. Combining Leslie’s interest in film, algorithms and geometric sequences with Laura’s exploration of the brain’s susceptibility to optical illusions, the pair have created works such as Kaleido and Infinity Loop, where pattern generated feedback loops are created using a live video feed and an algorithm. www.laurajade.com.au
	Leslie Marsh Leslie Marsh is a pathological director who has been incessantly churning out videos for the last decade. His obsession has dragged him across every continent and he has produced on nearly every conceivable platform from iPhone to Cinema. Leslie’s documentaries and short films have screened and won prizes across the world including the Italian International Film Festival and the Canadian. www.lesliemarsh.net
	Cave Urban Over the past six years, Cave Urban has collaborated with Laura Jade and Leslie Marsh to produce a number of large scale bamboo installations that meet at the intersection of architecture, lighting design, mathematics and art for the Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland, the World Bamboo Workshop in Manipur, India, and Sculpture by the Sea in Sydney. Cave Urban is a multidisciplinary design studio formed by artists, architects and sculptors. Founded in 2010 to investigate lightweight vernacular structures and their relevance to contemporary design, Cave Urban has developed into a practice that explores the intersection between art and architecture through the use of natural and recycled materials. Cave Urban projects involve the participation of the local community, universities and artists. We also foster cross-cultural exchange and collaboration with international artists such as Wang Wen-Chih (Taiwan), Georges Cuvillier (Belgium), Amir Rabik (Indonesia), Carolina Pinto (Chile) and Markus Tatton (Australia). Partnerships have included: Opera Australia, MONA, Clemenger, University of Tasmania, UNSW, Sydney City Council, Royal Botanical Gardens, Australian National Botanical Gardens, Brisbane Festival and the Woodford Folk Festival. www.caveurban.com www.juan-pablo.com