The city of Vancouver has unveiled a 14-by25.5-foot spinning chandelier designed by Lower Mainland artist Rodney Graham. Built of stainless steel, LED lamps and over 600 polyurethane “crystals,” the $4.88-million installation hangs at the intersection of lower Granville Street and Beach Avenue.
Spinning Chandelier is inspired by Graham’s previous film installation, titled Torqued Chandelier Release, and recreates the film’s 18th-century crystal French fixture. This kinetic sculpture is raised by a mechanism of twisting cables that slowly raises the chandelier throughout the day.
Spinning Chandelier is on display beneath the Granville Street Bridge. At noon, 4pm & 9pm each day, Spinning Chandelier will illuminate, descend & spin for 4 minutes, before ascending, while slowly spinning back to its starting point. After 4pm will remain softly lit until 11pm. pic.twitter.com/xcwReQgw7k
— Westbank (@westbankcorp) December 6, 2019
As reported by the Vancouver Sun, Eric Fredericksen, head of public art for the city of Vancouver, said Spinning Chandelier is the kind of public art work that makes you stop and look at the underside of a bridge.
The installation is a private sector project commissioned by Westbank Corp as part of the Vancouver House development, designed by Bjarke Ingels Group with DIALOG. According to Vancouver’s building bylaws, properties over 100,000 square feet require developers to contribute a piece of public art.
Suspended beneath the Granville Street bridge, the chandelier illuminates, descends and spins for 4 minutes at noon, 4 pm, and 9 pm, before slowly ascending and spinning back to its starting point. It remains softly lit from 4 pm to 11 pm.