Land

One of the many speculations about habitable extra-solar environments is that of a moon orbiting a gas giant. Robert J. Sawyer has based his “Quintaglio Ascension” trilogy on such a location.

“Land” is the single continent on the inhabited moon in the trilogy. I have Rob’s permission to create this piece based on his maps and concepts. The exact locations are my contribution, as are the mountainous regions which are hinted at on his maps. Twelve principal locations mentioned in the novels are highlighted with coded LEDs. The piece is about 300 x 600 mm.

This piece is now on display in Rob and Carolyn’s home.

Published by

Joseph Federer

Combining a lifelong fascination with lighting, moving art, and woodworking, photo-kinetic and thermo-kinetic sculptures provide an outlet for innovative combinations of art, machinery, electronics, and fun!

Photo-kinetic art is that which combines sculptural elements based on reality, usually from NASA sources, with LED lighting representing speculative possibilities of those locations. These may be based on fiction, natural phenomena, or flights of fancy. Some sculptures are static, but may incorporate other features such as Lithophanes or being touch-friendly.

Thermo-kinetic sculptures are those which have moving components responding to environmental inputs. Some are activated by temperature or humidity changes directly affecting parameters of sculptural components. Others may incorporate electronics to magnify natural effects.

With over 15 years’ experience making fine violins, the necessary attention to detail contributes to the quality of work in all my artistic and sculptural works. In addition, experience building a large custom home, a dedicated wood-working shop, and various other structures, ensures that my sculptures, particularly the thermo-kinetic ones, are structurally sound.

The core principals of my work are: to use an appropriate mix of natural and synthetic materials and processes to illustrate an idea or principal; to use science and space-related source materials; and to explore ideas which may be considered unconventional. In the immortal words of Calvin and Hobbes, “Let’s go exploring!”

This artwork is copyright © Joseph Federer. All rights reserved.