Light Dial – Willowherb
Size: 100 x 90 x 35 cm
Light Dial Willowherb is a piece made by me within the collaborative project Light Dial. It is a site-specific light installation that functions with both direct sun rays and artificial light on the drawings of willowherbs engraved in the plexiglass parts of the sculpture. When sun rays pass through the glass parts in the early mornings, shadows are slowly moving over the wall behind. In the night time, artificial light is timed to go on and off on diverse times so as to form a light play of warm white and red purple in the different pieces of glass which interacts with certain hours of the night. The colours are chosen to link to the willowherbs changing flower colours in summer as well as in autumn.
The willowherb theme is derived from the household in Lidingö, which runs the website for journalist and writer Jolo – Jan-Olof Olsson – who was active during the 50s and 60s. His wife Margareta Sjögren-Olsson, also journalist and writer, has written a book about her husband’s early decease. In this novel, I found out that the willowherb was Jolo’s favourite flower. Jolo and Margareta also resided in the house at Lidingö during a long period of their mutual life together.
