{"id":2896,"date":"2025-03-27T12:43:41","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T16:43:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.joshuarosenstock.com\/teaching\/lightart-d25\/?p=2896"},"modified":"2025-03-27T12:43:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T16:43:41","slug":"light-artists-peter-erskine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.joshuarosenstock.com\/teaching\/lightart-d25\/bcleverock\/light-artists-peter-erskine\/","title":{"rendered":"Light Artists: Peter Erskine"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Image Source: https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/100librariesart\/<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Peter Erskine is an American artist who installed his first work in 1989. His works all focus around the theme of sunlight, rainbows, and the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of Erskine’s works belong to the same exhibition “S.O.S”: “Secrets of the Sun”.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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His works are all centered around three main principles:

1. Sunlight is Energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. All Life is Solar Powered<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Everything is Connected to Everything Else.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Image Source: https:\/\/artisticodyssey.com\/artist-peter-erskine-laser-cut-prisms\/<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Erksine says that rainbows, are found in every culture, and in almost all cultures they are symbols of good and healing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image Source:https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/peter-erskine-00618277\/<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe rainbow is a very deep memory for humans. It has been coded into our genetic material over millions of years. Seeing a rainbow restores our connection to Nature \u2013 it restores our physical and psychic functions.\u201d\u00a0
– Jonas Salk, M.D., Inventor of the first Polio Vaccine<\/p>\n\n\n

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Tools and Technique:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, Erksine does not provide much information about the actual fabrication of the glass and prisms used in his art. However has provided many diagrams, photos, and descriptions about the technology behind his art and art making progress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For each of his works, he first creates a scale model of the space in his own studio and experiments with mirror, glass, and prism placement to reach his desired outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Scale model of what I believe is the Milan Train Terminal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Solar Panel powering his heliotracker on a factory rooftop in Germany<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo of the heliotracker and solar panels powering the installation at the Roman Forum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Inside Erskine’s art studio. Modeling the roman forum using his niece as a statue (?)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Diagram of how light enters the building, gets scattered and transformed before finally hitting the ground.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned above Peter Erskine does not publish much about the actual fabrication process, or the actual prisms and mirrors that make up the installation so the following gallery features some of the few images I could find.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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52 prismatic panels at the “52 WEEKS 4 SEASONS” installation <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Heliostat at the “SUNDANCE” installation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Heliostat at Erskine’s studio in California<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Closer look at the prismatic panels at “52 WEEKS 4 SEASONS”<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Secrets of the Sun: Millennial Meditations<\/em>, Roman Forum, Rome<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Secrets of the Sun: Millennial Meditations<\/em> was Peter Erskine’s first installation as well as the first site-specific installation at the Forum. The works were meant to comment on how like the light installations, the Forum was built by solar powered people and animals (1). The works were paired with a collaboration with two sound artists who filled the space with the sounds of the modern urbanized “fossil fueled” Rome to emphasize how far we’ve strayed from relying on nature. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Spectrum Vapor Chimneys<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Visitors were required to wear these white suits while inside the exhibit, becoming apart of it as the light reflected off of them<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Light from Above<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Room of Reflected History<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Ecstasy of Santa Lucia<\/em><\/strong>,\u00a0Church of Santa Lucia de Ocon, La Rioja, Spain, 2011<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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