Lorna Carmen McNeill
Arts Medicine Lab
TRANSFORMING FROM STARDUST 2016
Slough & the Universe - Art, Astrophysics, Inspiring communities - A project inspired by light.
In 2016, I was Artist in residence at the Langley Academy, supported by Arts Council funding, creating four fibre-optic light art installations with a time-based moving light sequence and workshops, inspired by William Herschel’s work in Slough. More information
In 2016 this installation was exhibited in Slough at the Langley Academy, Langley Primary School, Creative Junction's Room 350 and the Curve and was used as a springboard for a range of science, art and other workshop programmes which were triggered by the installation.
In 2017 it was exhibited at: Canary Wharf Winter Lights, Light Bites at the Ugly Duck, London, Holographically at Kinetica Art Fair, Langley Academy Science Week. This installation and workshops are available to tour. Below - installation at Canary Wharf, Winter lights.
TRANSFORMING FROM STARDUST: Experiential
HD video, 2016, 8.25 minutes. Concept, sculpture, Lighting: Lorna Carmen McNeill Film: Ninon Ardisson & Caroline Landry
TRANSFORMING FROM STARDUST - Documentation
HD Video, 2016, 2 minutes Concept, sculpture, Lighting: Lorna Carmen McNeill Film: Ninon Ardisson & Caroline Landry
Transforming from Stardust enacts the enthralling creative Journey of the Universe within which we all participate. It is a reminder that just as there are specific greater universal and cosmic creative processes, they are continuously active inside all of us as well! We are literally made from the same chemical elements as stardust. Nearly every atom within us was once inside an exploding Supernova star. Creative processes and vortexes like galaxies whirl within us, in our DNA, within the Milky Way and in all things. We are stardust which has become conscious.
This installation is part of an Arts Council funded project: Slough and the Universe: Art, Astrophysics and Inspiring communities. The installation pays homage to Slough based William Herschel, founder of modern stellar astronomy, whose discoveries include identifying the planet Uranus and infra-red technology which has contributed to modern fibreoptics. It is also inspired by the Journey of the Universe book and film by Brian Swimme and Mary Evelyn Tucker.
The sculptures were aimed to act as a springboard for a series of workshops for children, young people, and adults to facilitate creative expression about the universe and our place within it and to trigger other activities across science and art. The installation is an invitation for people to live their potential.
"Lorna’s ‘Transforming from Stardust’ exhibition makes the idea of existing within the vast universe something quite magical.
I was really captivated by the whole experience because it felt really relaxing watching each sculpture emerge from the darkness of the room and light up in different colours. I felt as though I was one with the universe as I saw each stage of its creation, it was like a three dimensional experience because you could clearly see all of the details and contours on each of the sculptures and actually take your time to admire it’s fragments up close, compared to just seeing a digitalised interpretation on TV or on your computer." J Morissette, 2016.
"Your work is incredible Lorna, I am amazed to have found you and your art! It gives sense to my existence as human, planetary being and as an artist!I also appreciate you for all the community work you do and for the healing and magic you bring through this video!" Joana Palma 2021
This project was Supported by:
