Glass artist Shelley James is fascinated by the optical properties of this remarkable yet everyday material. She works closely with scientists to create interactive sculptures that combine traditional analogue and new digital glass making techniques.
Photo by Sila Korukoglu’
This piece grew out of a Residency in the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at King’s College, London in 2016. It extends my fascination with five-fold symmetry and research into a new generation of molecular structures that respond to light. Each module is cast from a 3d print in an adaptation of the traditional ‘lost wax’ process and assembled to create a stellated dodecahedron. Some of the modules are cast from a glass that turns green in response to the UV light given out by fluorescent bulbs inside the plinth.
The project was supported by Arts Council England and the Crafts Council and was installed for the first time at Collect at the Saatchi Gallery in February 2017.