Large Pendulum Wave

Anne Frankplatsoen

It seems so ordinary, but it isn’t… Gravity. We stay firmly grounded on Earth with both feet. But how does it actually work?

This light installation by Ivo Schoofs and Pepe Heijnen brings the wonder of gravity into practice. It begins with a series of enormous glowing spheres suspended on fifteen pendulums. Slowly, the movement transforms into a smooth, rhythmic wave of light, shifting through ever-changing colors. Because the pendulums vary in length, the patterns that emerge are both surprising and mesmerizing. It’s all thanks to the power of gravity.

From neat, swaying waves to swirling clusters of light and then to total chaos—nothing is what it seems. Suddenly, the spheres return to a harmonious pattern. The magic lies not only in the motion but also in the colors of the lights, which shift playfully along with the movement. Before your eyes unfolds a breathtaking spectacle of motion, color, and light. Stay a little longer, and you’ll keep discovering new patterns. Captivating, isn’t it?

Over the past twenty years, we’ve seen Ivo Schoofs and Pepe Heijnen at GLOW many times, always with fascinating works that make abstract scientific concepts tangible and visually stunning. Their installations are as intellectually intriguing as they are beautiful to behold.