The American artist further explained where she found her inspiration. “The sculpture’s form echoes the history of its location. The three voids recall the “Tri-Mountain” which was razed in the 18th-Century to create lands from the harbor. The colored banding is a nod to the six traffic lanes that once overwhelmed the neighborhood, before the Big Dig buried them and enable the space to be reclaimed for urban pedestrian life.”

Seattle, Washington

Downtown Seattle has a permanent sculpture entitled “Impatient Optimist” commissioned  for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation campus in Seattle.

The artwork 'Impatient Optimist' is composed of ultra-lightweight fibers. At night it's projected with light. (Philips/LEDinside)

The sky was a source of inspiration as was the foundation’s mission of uniting people all over the world in common goals of good health and respecting the environment.

For this installation Janet Echelman decided to emulate the combination of hues at sunrise from their regional offices from New Delhi to London, Beijing to Seattle, and the gradual changes in colors.

Interestingly, to generate the basis for this delicate yet voluminous form Echelman photographed the Seattle sky every five minutes for an entire day. Then her team analysed the color data and graphed the results radially.

“During the day, the sculpture’s hue interplay with the changing colors of the sky.”

“At night, Impatient Optimist slowly shifts from vibrant pinks to soft blues to bright oranges in an elaborate lighting sequence that mirrors in real time the colors of the sunrise at the foundation’s regional offices in India, Africa, China, the U.K. and Washington D.C.”

Montreal, Quebec

For the inauguration of her temporary art installation in Montreal, Janet Echelman’s organic and fluid structure “1.26” serves as the focal point for the revitalization of the Gamelin Gardens in the heart of the city.

The artworks were displayed in several different cities, either highlighted by LED lights or computerized lighting effect. (Philips/LEDinside)

The title of the artwork is in reference to the 2010 Chile earthquake, and the resulting 1.26 microsecond shortening of the Earth’s day. The sculpture’s three-dimensional form reflects Echelman’s mapping of tsunami wave heights across an entire ocean. This very specific number symbolises the connection between individuals no matter where they are on the planet.

Since Montreal is such a vibrant and cosmopolitan city, the sculpture seems to move in the wind like a choreography always changing just like a relationship.

«1.26» was previously installed in Denver, Sydney, Amsterdam and Singapore.

The artist says «The sculpture takes on a different meaning in each city depending on the urban context. Without the city, it becomes less interesting to me. »

Janet Echelman’s work comes to life when juxtaposed with urban architecture. At night some of her floating art forms are highlighted by LEDs while others benefit from computerized lighting effects.

Kudos to Boston, Seattle and Montreal for beautifying their public spaces and creating must-see art experiences for everyone to enjoy. What a wonderful way of bringing people together.