| Sculpture Information | |
|---|---|
| Completion | 2017 |
| Materials | GJ ColourShift dichroic glass (20mm structural laminated), concrete plinth |
| Dimensions | 1300mm (h) x 500mm (w) x 400mm (d) |
| Current Location | Private Collection Brisbane, QLD |
I made Fire & Ice in 2017 using dichroic glass, a material that changes colour based on viewing angle and light source. The glass doesn't shift gradually. It holds two distinct states: red when facing dominant light, blue when viewed from the opposite side.
The work is two vertical panels of 20mm structural laminated dichroic glass, manufactured by G.James. Each panel stands frameless, grouted directly into a concrete plinth. The negative space between the panels creates a superellipse, the mathematical curve I used in Superegg. For this piece, I set the curve to n=2.6, which produces a shape between square and circle.
The dichroic layer is embedded during lamination, which makes it permanent. The glass is strong enough for outdoor installation, though indoor placement extends its life.
The colour shift operates on a daily cycle. Morning light from the east shows blue glass. As the sun moves west through the day, the colour transitions. By evening, with interior lighting or western light, the panels glow red. The shift also happens spatially. Walking up or down stairs changes what you see. Moving around the work creates continuous transformation.
The piece works best facing east in a large foyer or courtyard where the light cycle can play out naturally. In a gallery with fixed lighting, the shift happens as viewers move around the work. Different heights, different angles, different colours.
The glass behaves like water in some ways. It reflects and refracts light depending on angle, similar to surface tension or the way water holds and releases light. The material captures something fluid despite being solid.
Fire & Ice has been installed in a private collection in Brisbane since 2017. The dichroic layer hasn't degraded. The colour shift remains as clear as installation day. Seven years in, the glass has proven the durability I built into it.
