Mandylights’ newest artwork “ReflectON” was commissioned by the Melbourne Recital Centre and made possible by the City Revitalisation Fund.
Mandylights explored the concepts of reflection, refraction and perception in the precinct, wanting to create something that was monolithic yet sympathetic to the busy urban environment of the precinct.
Beyond the simple notion of reflecting the installation’s surroundings, they wanted to create a transformative work that would take on an entirely different visual appearance at night. This led them to look at the idea of an infinity mirror – where the reflective nature of the monoliths would disappear with the sun, and transform into a series of glowing, rotating, LED lines that glow brightly at night, often accompanied by music.
The work slowly rotates at all times of the day and night; creating an ever-changing installation that is never the same one moment as the next.
At night the external mirrors disappear as if by magic, and make way for the light show that exists inside – much like Melbourne Recital Centre’s façade, which was designed to resemble bubble or gift wrap, with the Centre’s impressive 1000-seat Elisabeth Murdoch Hall being the gift of live music that is revealed inside.
LED lights line the internal members of the plinths and light up the internal mirrors, creating an infinite array of lights, shapes and colours, matched with music by acclaimed artists and musicians that are performing at Melbourne Recital Centre.
