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Unus Mundus

2022





IJ Riverbank, Amsterdam
Aambeldstraat 24, 1021 KB

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Unus Mundus is an introspective urban sculpture sculpture in the form of rhombohedra, a cube truncated at two opposite corners leaving two equilateral triangular faces. It is geometrical object of polychromic nature with holographic elements, lined with nexus-like network of led strips along the inside of its crystalline edges. Spray-coated with holographic car paint, its steel frame and dichroic glass surface changes colours from a flowing golden opal to a blue-green violet, depending on the viewer's position. The artwork comes to life as optic crystal when it is turned on at night, and its clarity of form engages in a polytonaldialogue with mirrored light reflections and color shifts.

Unus Mundus is homage to the Latin notion of "One world" that dates back at least as far as Plato's allegory of the cave. It is focused on breaking out of the frame to established a full integration, existential, between it and us. It is a living organism, a work essentially active; a heterotopia interested in the potential of collaboration and organisation. It urges us to critically reflects on our contemporary networked systems and technological innovations, and contemplate how art can help us imagine new possibilities of organising community through practice, actions and cooperation- to manifest resilience, empathy, and regeneration.

Unus Mundus has been commissioned by the City of Amsterdam in partnership with Makers aan het IJ, as part of the MooiMakers project. When commissioned, Mandić engaged a small youth group from Dock with a premise to create a public artwork. Series of ideas for three-dimensional works where developed, using origami folds as a departure point. These then translated into a concept for a luminous and poetic light sculpture in a form of rhombohedra, whose faces represent the golden rhombus given that its diagonals follow the golden ratio.

Thank you for your contribution:
Dilara Kivanç, student (DOCK)
Masha Soetekauw, spatial design

Thank you for your support:
Gemeente Amsterdam
Makers aan het IJ
DOCK
Mooi Makers
LED Gigant
Cameleon Lab
GVB Veren
West Steel
Daan’s Handige Jongens


Sonospheres

2023
(Site Is Under Construction)(Post No Bills).
© RENATA MANDIĆ MMXXIII