LOOK HERE, Washington DC
Public Art —
Inspired by an ancient Japanese artifact called the “magic mirror,” which shows a hidden image when illuminated, Suchi Reddy’s installation LOOK HERE reveals unexpected reflections of the National Building Museum’s Center Court in Washington, DC. As visitors move through the atrium space, they discover viewports that create individual moments of contemplation among clusters of reflective fractals that expose new facets of the surrounding architecture.
LOOK HERE invites visitors to see themselves in new environments that can expand their vision. The installation of fractals, made with Luminux® reflective panels from our collaborative fabricator Jancik Arts International, shapes a walk-in architectural kaleidoscopic experience. Visitors move through the constellation of suspended fractals on a curved ramp that culminates in a central oval gathering space. The reflection of the Museum’s interior, the constant movement of the prismatic elements, and the changing sun create a spectacular contemplative space during the day and a lively entertainment space at night.
Visitors encounter iconic images of activist gatherings in Washington, D.C. such as the 1964 March on Washington, which underscores the idea that the city was designed not only to house a democratic government but also to be a physical representation of democratic ideals and beliefs.
The installation is guided by Suchi Reddy’s belief that architecture, environments, and experiences play an essential role in shaping an understanding of ourselves as humans with agency, equity, and empathy. As visitors experience these powerful images of activism in LOOK HERE, they see themselves in the reflective surfaces as part of these important moments in our collective history.
Read more about LOOK HERE at the National Building Museum in the Washington Post.
“In this age of reflection, where we are reflected constantly through images on social media, I wanted to question the very idea of it. I wanted to use reflection as a method to reflect the architecture but also place you inside of these vital activist moments.”
“From waves of astonishment to moments of quiet reflection, Look Here successfully activates a range of emotional response. Reddy achieves this through an orchestral collision of proportion, perspective and context. She not only suspends reflective fractals in the museum’s gargantuan center court, but prescribes a pathway to approach them, complete with the powerful stops—that feature images of activist marches in DC—along the way. Reddy invites viewers to travel at their own pace, to linger, to reflect, and, most importantly, to question what they see and who they are. A practitioner of the mantra “form follows feeling,” Reddy demonstrates her values and asks others to consider their own.