Imagine gliding with a huge flock of vibrantly colored birds—each one soaring high and dipping low—all part of one huge undulating swirl. Imagine being surrounded by a giant school of tropical fish—each one darting in and out—all part of one shimmering kaleidoscope. Imagine strolling along a forest path under a rainbow sky of fluttering ribbons—each one dancing in the air—all part of one multicolored blaze.
Lucky visitors can experience the latter while strolling along the paths of the Kendeda Canopy Walk under a gigantic, immersive, aerial art installation at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
The installation, called Dream Flora, is an aerial sculpture created by artist Patrick Shearn of Poetic Kinetics. It is part of Shearn’s signature Skynet Art Series which was inspired by flocks of birds and schools of fish and serves as a reminder of nature moving around us. Poetic Kinetics is based in Los Angeles and specializes in large-scale art installations and experiential design. Their roots are in the film, concert/live event, and circus industries.
Dream Flora is a spectacular sight and an installation wonder. The Skynet installation is a long, narrow streak of magic floating 12 to 40 feet above the garden’s winding paths. It varies in width from 5 to 25 feet and covers over 12,500 square feet.
A net structure was made from over 13,000 linear feet of transparent, ultra-light Dyneema cords hand-tied into over 800 technical knots. Over 79,000 streamers, made of ripstop nylon, were attached to webs of fishing net. The barely-visible rigging system is attached to the majestic, mature trees of the Storza Woods at the Garden. It’s apparent great care was taken to hide the mechanics of the installation; unless you look very closely, the colorful streamers appear to be floating in the air.
The streamers dangle and flutter in response to the air currents and weather conditions.
Sunlight filters through the streamers casting sun beams and shadows.
Only 4 colors of streamers were used, including red, orange, purple, and yellow, but they are deftly mixed to give the illusion of many much broader palette.
The Dream Flora Skynet is part of an illustrious, global playlist of grand-scale art installations. It is the first Skynet installed in a wooded area; the others were installed in open spaces. For instance, in 2019 a Skynet called Visions in Motion was installed at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. It was commissioned to mark the 30th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution and the fall of the Berlin Wall. “The artwork’s rectangular shape conjures the form of the wall; but instead of a heavy, impenetrable border, the form takes flight.” states the Poetic Kinetics website.
Other spectacular examples include the River of Light Skynet which was installed above Hong Kong harbor in 2021 and the Sunset Trace Skynet which was installed over Main Beach Park in Laguna Beach, California in 2020. Photos and videos of these amazing installations can be seen on Poetic Kinetics’ website.
There’s another Skynet to look forward to in 2022. The artwork, called Change In The Air, “is a large-scale, outdoor, participatory art installation that visualizes our collective voice and calls for change for a better, shared future. Made up of messages collected from all over the United States, the public artwork doubles as a voting awareness campaign. … the work will be suspended across the length of the National Mall in Washington D.C. in September 2022 ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.” says the Poetic Kinetics website. Follow this link to submit a message for the Change In The Air Skynet.
The idea of writing messages on streamers is intriguing. I saw something similar, albeit on a much smaller scale, at Cornerstone Gardens in Sonoma, California. The Wishing Garden featured beautifully-crafted, metal sculptures in a unique garden space.
At the entrance to the garden, visitors were invited to “1) Cut a Piece of Tape 2) Grab a Pen 3) Write Your Wish and 4) Add Your Wish to the Others“. Hundreds of holographic ribbons shimmered in the California sunshine.
Some messages were specific and personal while others, like the one shown below, were universal.
A sign at the Wishing Garden provides this insight “Wishes inspire hope for what’s possible… collectively expressed they can represent the dreams of an entire community.”
More Info
The Dream Flora Skynet is part of the SUPERnatural exhibit at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The exhibit runs from May 15 to Sept 19, 2021.
Artist Patrick Shearn and his creative studio, Poetic Kinetics, specialize in large-scale art installations and experiential design. See their website or Instagram page for my info.
Cornerstone Gardens is a cultural and creative haven in Sonoma, California, USA which celebrates the connection between art, architecture and nature.
Today’s Takeaways
1. Consider visiting a public garden or horticultural destination.
2. Art installations allow us to experience our surroundings in a fresh new way.
3. Participatory public art can increase awareness and inspire hope.
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