Waves are everywhere in nature. Some are visible, some are not. The first thought that comes to mind concerning waves is the ocean. Ocean waves have been the cause of much fun over hundreds of years. In ancient Hawaii, surfing was considered an art. The Hawaiian people refer to it as He’e Nalu or Wave Sliding in English. This art was enjoyed by chiefs as well as commoners, both women and men alike. It was a vital part of their culture.
Light and sound also travel in waves, much faster than ocean waves, but just as fascinating.
Inspired by waves, He’e Nalu invites you to ride an experience that will fill your senses with colors and sounds from the ocean
Conceptual Rendering by Maria Dautant and Golsana Heshmati
This piece is formed by two rows of acrylic columns strategically located to create an undulating passage. The length and height of the structure was carefully considered to fully surround the visitors. Each column is tilted at a specific angle to imitate the movement of an ocean wave as a person walks through. RGBW
LED floodlights located in the base illuminate each column from the bottom, changing intensity and color throughout the night.
To emphasize the oceanic atmosphere and create the sense of a wave tunnel, a number of loudspeakers are housed inside the base, positioned along the passage on both sides
3D Model of the piece
Rendering by Event Engineering
Just as the sea washes our senses with its rhythmic movement, this installation cycles through two distinct scenes, the Calm and the Wave.
During the Calm, the lighting is programmed to create a soft twinkling light effect and the loudspeakers reproduce sounds of calmed water, seagulls and children playing in the beach. When the Wave is triggered, the intensity of the light increases, traveling the length of the passage, while the loudspeakers reproduce the sound of a powerful but fun oceanic wave that immerses visitors for a few seconds.
As these two scenes cycle through the night, the lighting transitions from orange to deep blue to remind us of the colors on the water as the sun sets on the horizon.
The periodic occurrences of both shows allow visitors to experience the different stages of the piece many times in one night.
The three dimensionality of this installation also gives visitors the opportunity to experience it from inside as well as outside, from close and far. From every direction, visitors live the show in many different ways, making this a multi-faceted light art piece.
He’e Nalu wants to take you under a sea of light for a couple of minutes to experience waves in a new and bright way. Stand in the middle and let the wave wash over you or choose your wave and ride it.
He'e Nalu at VIVID Sydney
Photography by Frank Dautant