Exhibition Location: The Podium, Spokane, WA

Permanent Exhibition: October 2022

Collaborator: Clayton Binkley

Chromasphere is a set of large wooden structures suspended in the air in the lobby area of the Podium. The diverse geology and nature surrounding Spokane, translated into an abstract geometrical mass assembled of rotated hexagonal plans, make up the 11 pods of salvaged western cedar. The insides of the pods are painted different colors, and LED lights are used to light them up in the evening. The largest pod attracts visitors to the lobby area where the 10 other pods are clustered. The pods’ placement and angles were carefully determined based on visitors’ anticipated views from outside of the space. Colored ambient light in the pods gives a vibrant atmospheric accent to the lobby space, which has a neutral background. The colors were inspired by ones found in nature such as those of wildflowers, barks, berries, and the landscape in and around Spokane.  

During the daytime, visitors see the massiveness and materiality of the wood floating in the air. The contrast between materiality of the wood and colors inside of the pods While the sun sets, visitors see colored light coming out of inside of the pods and filling the space. The solid materiality of the wood is transformed into a softer texture by the ambient light.