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    “ORB” by SpY in Montreal, Canada, After Its Debut in Egypt

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    SpY’s stunning “ORB” sculpture, which first captivated audiences at the Pyramids of Giza, has found a new home in Montreal’s Place des Arts. This work, blending formal simplicity with deep symbolism, explores the relationship between art, history, and urban space. The transition from the ancient Egyptian site to a modern cultural hub emphasizes its universal appeal, allowing it to engage with diverse environments and audiences.At the heart of “ORB” is the reimagining of a common urban object—the convex traffic mirror. By multiplying and arranging these mirrors into a spherical pattern, SpY transforms a mundane feature of city life into a thought-provoking work of art. The mirrored surface reflects its surroundings and viewers, creating an ever-changing interaction that evolves throughout the day, prompting contemplation on how art influences and is influenced by urban spaces.Drawing inspiration from Egyptian history, “ORB” references the mathematical and symbolic elements found in the Pyramids. The spherical form hints at the relationship between the Pyramid’s geometry and the concept of ‘pi,’ tying the sculpture to ancient mathematical principles. This connection extends to the circular mirror, a symbol in Egyptian culture linked to the sun, creation, and rebirth.The installation in Montreal highlights the sculpture’s ability to resonate in different contexts, reinforcing its status as a universal artistic symbol. Its reflective surface captures fragments of the city and its inhabitants, inviting viewers to engage in a deeper reflection on their connection to the environment and each other.“ORB” was part of the exhibition Forever Is Now II, organized by Culturvator Art D’Égypte in collaboration with UNESCO. The exhibition juxtaposes ancient heritage with contemporary art, exploring themes that transcend time and encourage us to imagine the future of humanity.Check out more photos of “ORB” in Montreal, Canada, and Egypt below! More

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      in Art

      SpY Installs Hundreds of Metallic Rescue Blankets in a Former Arms Factory

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      All images © SpY, shared with permission

      SpY Installs Hundreds of Metallic Rescue Blankets in a Former Arms Factory

      September 16, 2024

      Art

      Kate Mothes

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      In Oviedo, Spain, a 6,000-square-meter installation of metallic emergency blankets transform a former arms factory this month. “Blankets 2” extends from Spanish artist SpY’s ongoing series of monumental kinetic works (previously).

      The natural light from the building’s first-floor windows and giant clerestory bounce off the folds of hundreds of blankets, glinting gold on one side and silver on the other. Documented with water on the floor, the reflection mirrors the suspended array, creating a sense of depth and further openness.

      The artist centers the dialogue between location and theme in “Blankets 2” and calls attention to the building’s history as a weapon manufacturer by filling it with objects intended conversely for medical treatment and care.

      SpY is fascinated by sensory perception and the way simple objects can be transformed through repetition, light, scale, and contrast. Air flow through the space adds delicate motion to the panels, generating a gentle rustling noise that accompanies viewers through the exhibition

      Find more on SpY’s website and Instagram.

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    • 63 Shares189 Views

      in Street Art

      “Loops” by SpY in Switzerland

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      SpY unveils “Loops”, a large-scale kinetic installation commissioned for the atrium of the largest hospital in Switzerland.Both engaging and soothing, “Loops” presents a new paradigm for site-specific installations in the re-envisioning of hospitals as more humane environments. The production of the artwork spanned over two years and involved the development of bespoke equipment by world-leading engineers.How can art have a positive effect on patients, and help nurture them emotionally within a hospital? Fulfilling these needs has been the goal of this highly specialised project “Loops” is permanently installed at the atrium of the brand-new Anna-Seiler-Haus, the main building of Inselspital in Bern, one of the largest and most advanced hospitals in Switzerland.The shape of the piece shifts constantly as its elements draw their ethereal movements across the atrium space and arrange themselves in a myriad combinations.The five floors around the hospital atrium allow for a wide range of different points of view upon the piece. As the viewer moves and the sculpture shifts, the resulting visual readings multiply infinitely. In the blink of an eye, a new artwork is discovered.The piece is programmed in different modes, in which the choreographies adapt to the changing dynamics within the hospital. The rings re-arrange themselves together in the middle of the atrium space every hour, with one or more of the 24 rings remaining lit up to indicate the time. During the night the sculpture enters a ‘calm’ mode, staying in the middle of the atrium and displaying only some slight movements. The kinetic dimension of the piece is designed to surprise, but also to allow for a comfortable co-habitation with those who stay longer at the hospital – both patients and workers.The precise movements of the sculpture are produced by 24 sophisticated motors working in unison. The devices have been designed, developed and tested specifically for “Loops” by the world-leading engineering firm MKT at its facilities in Munich.Check out for more photos of the installation below. More

    • 75 Shares169 Views

      in Street Art

      “Tierra” by SpY in Madrid, Spain

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      In “Tierra”, SpY presents an artistic project made up of a luminous red sphere caged inside a cube-shaped structure, constructed with the type of scaffolding normally used on building sites. These 2 simple geometric elements (sphere and cube) form a large-scale construction which stands almost 25 metres high and has been installed in Plaza de Colón in Madrid.This powerful visual statement is accompanied by a bright red light emanating from inside the sphere, from which one can almost feel the heat transmitted by the concept of the work.In this work, SpY asks us to reflect on the way in which our home makes up a whole of which we form part, and in which everything is connected as if it were a living creature. There have always been changing climate conditions and the Earth has always been constantly evolving. However, as a consequence of human activity, these changes are happening over a very short period of time and have resulted in worrying alterations.Unfortunately, this rapid change has created an impact which could become irreversible. We need to propose dialogue and actions that will contribute to improved collective awareness through a value system which can turn this situation around. The challenge we all face is to take small individual steps to improve and contribute to our sense of shared responsibility.Through this artistic offering, SpY invites the audience to reflect and enjoy this urban installation, where visitors will be surprised by the scale and the contrasting light set against the city background.In “DATA” pictured above, SpY offers a reflection on the rapid and widespread inclusion of algorithms in numerous aspects of our lives.  In this audio-visual work, digital abstraction is used to explore and interpret how predictive tools operated through algorithms and artificial intelligence are highly beneficial in terms of aspects such as communication, research and medicine, but can also lead us to lose some of our freedoms if they are not used ethically.SpY is an urban artist whose first endeavors date back to the mid-eighties. Shortly after, already a national reference as a graffiti artist, he started to explore other forms of artistic communication in the street. His work involves the appropiation urban elements through transformation or replication, commentary on urban reality, and the interference in its communicative codes.Check out below for more photos os SpY’s work. More