Celestial Garden/invisible sky: Winifred Lutz
APS Jefferson Garden across from Museum on Fifth Street between Walnut & Chestnut
This installation closed 31 March 2008.
In the APS Garden find Philly's night sky pulled down to earth. See glowing "stars"— LED-lit glass orbs—hovering just above the ground. Look down, not up, and navigate the winter constellations from a new perspective.
This outdoor installation in the APS Jefferson Garden mimics the
October sky over Philadelphia, including prominent constellations such
as Pegasus, Orion, Andromeda, and Ursa Minor. Polished hand-blown orbs,
arranged according to their relative position in the night sky,
"levitate" above the grass. The size of each orb corresponds to the
brightness of the star it represents.
During the day, the orbs reflect the surrounding garden and buildings, and even the movements of clouds, birds, and planes overhead. In the evening they become points of light that seem to emerge from the dark ground below. This subtle yet powerful installation re-connects visitors with stars that were essential for navigation over hundreds of years but are no longer visible because of light pollution.
Image: Winifred Lutz, “Celestial Garden/invisible sky.” Photos: Gregory Benson
