Thixotropes by Troika

‘Thixotropes’, a project by Troika, is composed of 8 illuminated mechanised systems, made out of carbon, steel banding and LED’s. The composition comes to life when the mechanism is turned on and the illuminated steel bandings materialise their path with light. The result is a composition of aerial cones, spheres and ribbons made of warm and cold light.

‘Thixotropes’ combines Troika’s interest in art and science and stretches the boundaries of a long history of light painting photography that can be traced back to 1914 when Frank Gilbreth, along with his wife Lillian Moller Gilbreth, used small lights and the open shutter of a camera to track the motion of manufacturing and clerical workers.  Merging technology with their artistic practice, Troika’s moving structures explore the intersection of scientific thought, observation and human experience in a rational and rationalised world, and describes how logic and reason live in the presence of the metaphysical and surreal.

‘Thixotropes’ was commissioned by Selfridges London, on display from October 2011 till January 2012.

tl.mag #14, coming out at the beginning of May 2012, will be completely dedicated to (objects of) desire.  The Spotted section at the beginning of the magazine showcases the tl.mag editorial team’s favourites, ordered in 7 categories of opposites: decelerate & accelerate, intimacy & exuberance, discretion & audacity, cocooning & escapism, heritage & immateriality and useful & futile.  Discover more exciting projects in these categories on the tl.mag blog!