His largest and most ambitious work to date, In Orbit by Argentinian artist Tomas Saraceno is the closest one may ever come to feeling like a spider. Working with a team of architects, engineers and biologists over a three year period, Saraceno is finally ready to debut this monumental mesh construction that suspends over 25 meters above the piazza of the K21 Standehaus museum in Dusseldorf, Germany. On June 22, visitors will be able to climb on the gigantic steel wire construction that spans three levels.
The mesh net alone weighs three tons and there are half a dozen “spheres” or inflated PVC balloons positioned within it. No joke, for this installation, the artist studied the methods of various spiders to see how they constructed their intricate webs. Just like them, visitors coordinate their activities with one another, perceiving space through the medium of vibration.
Of course, there are few rules to entering “the orbit.” Visitors will receive instructions on how to scale it, no more than 10 people can be on the net structure at one time, you must wear stable shoes and you have to be at least 12-years-old to enter. Sounds like a ride at Disneyland!
Tomas Saraceno – In Orbit on K21 Standehaus website
Photos via [Tomas Saraceno]