Concept
The concept behind my final project is that truth is light. Using light and shadow, I will emit a plethora of light by opening a black opaque dodecahedron. When opened, the geometric shape will reveal colors that project onto the wall. After the in class discussion we had on secrets, it was important to me to maintain that keeping a secret is negative as it reveals fault in character. The thing trapping the light would be a geometric colorless shape, that would allow colorful light to bleed through at every edge. Additionally, any opaque acrylic has a slight reflectiveness; therefore, onlookers have the ability to partially see themselves in this piece. This emulates the idea that each viewer can find their reflection in this piece as everyone in the world has kept a secret at one point or another. The dodecahedron must be opened for the light of truth to be revealed, similar to how people must overcome their fear of backlash to reveal the truth. In the small holes I will cut out of the acrylic, light will emit through and portray how the truth inevitably seeps through the attempt of a lie.
Process
I researched geometric shapes following our discussion and envisioned a three dimensional geometric shape concealing light. The dodecahedron was my pick because of its complex looking dimension but simple construction. The shape was to be made out of black acrylic, so I first built a prototype to test my idea. Once that proved to work, the shapes were drawn on Adobe Illustrator and cut out at the laser lab. Once all of my individual acrylic pentagon pieces were cut, I joined each one to clear iridescent paper with wire. Using thin wire, the shape was pieced together. Using metal hooks and nails to screw into my dodecahedron, I suspended it into the air with a metal chain. One of the twelve pentagons is unattached so onlookers can open it up to reveal the light inside. By pulling a chain up, one can lift an acrylic pentagon and release a profusion of warm colors projecting onto the wall.
