FATA MORGANA

This sculpture is a tribute to the visual enchantment of the Fata Morgana phenomenon and reflects my long-standing fascination with glass, steel, and kinetic motion. It captures the interplay of light and movement, drawing the viewer into an illusion that blurs the boundary between the material and the ethereal.

A smaller prototype, built a decade earlier, served as the conceptual foundation. Measuring just four feet in diameter, it operated more like an optical carousel. Despite its modest scale, it introduced the key effect shared by both works: a central light source interacting with rotating focal planes and diverse optical elements to produce mesmerizing visual distortions.

In the larger Fata Morgana, the final focal plane extends four feet beyond the sculpture’s outer lenses, creating a sweeping projection that encircles the work in a 28-foot diameter. The result is a dynamic, orbiting ‘light body’ — a shifting halo of energy that transforms the sculpture into an immersive, ever-evolving spectacle.