Overview: The Prismatic Pyramids
Prismatic Pyramids is a series of light-sensitive sculptures created by
Philadelphia-based
artist, Ray King, for the grand staircase of the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing
Arts Center.
Comprised of nearly 500 hand-cut, glass facets that are configured into five trios of inverted pyramids, the sculptures were designed using advanced computer technology, and are suspended from the lobby's concrete columns by steel fixtures and nautical fittings redundantly engineered to sustain the massive tensile structure.
Together, the structures weigh more than 2,000 pounds; the largest trio of pyramids weighs 1,100 pounds and spans 10 feet in width and 17 feet in height.
Each individual facet has a thin layer of laser-etched film laminated between two safety glass panes. The prismatic film interacts with rays of light, either natural or electric, and transforms the pure light into a dazzling spectrum of color.
In designing "Prismatic Pyramids," King envisioned a modern, high-tech structure which incorporates light in mysterious ways that harken back to ancient monuments, such as Stonehenge and other pre-historic formations that hint at a larger connection with the cosmos. The sculptures - with their basis in complex geometry and dissection into proportional, rhythmic elements -- suggest the harmony of music and relate to the surrounding architecture in a seamless and elegant fashion.
The Pyramids' prismatic light refractions change depending on the weather, the time of day, the passing of the seasons and the orientation of the viewer. The chromatic display is especially brilliant in the full morning sunlight and is visible to external viewers passing by the building's expansive glass facade.
"Prismatic Pyramids" was installed during the first week of April, 2000, to coincide with the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center's dedication ceremony on April 7, 2000.
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