Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is transforming Munich's Odeonsplatz into a live art site for the bi-annual 2021 Munich Auto Show (IAA Munich) with a floating sculpture made of recyclable fibers. The cool-looking structure is constantly changing, getting shaped by natural forces.
Created by U.S. artist Janet Echelman, the floating sculpture is called "Earthtime 1.26 Munich", and it explores the interconnected networks of our world. It is big enough to cover the cities' monumental plaza, measuring around 24 meters (79 ft ) long, 21 meters (66 ft) wide, and 16 (52 ft) meters high.
Its made of recyclable fibers, which are woven like a fishing net. Some of them are said to be up to 15 times stronger than steel by weight. But that doesn't mean that the structure is heavy. It's actually very light. So light that wind, rain, and light are able to move and transform the net, which is constantly moving. This movement causes it to change its shape and color, putting a show for the onlookers.
Its 3D shape was inspired by the ripple effect of the ocean's surface after an earthquake. In fact, the sculpture's name is a reference for the 2010 Chile earthquake, which caused a 1.26 microsecond shortening of Earth's days.
The artwork can be viewed best at night when colored LED lights transform it into a floating, luminous galaxy. Located opposite the Studio Odeonsplatz by Mercedes-Benz, the sculpture will revitalize Odeonsplatz until the beginning of October.
It will float in the skies above the brand's exhibition area at Odeonsplatz for the duration of the trade show, which will be exclusively dedicated to sustainable solutions for the future of mobility. Through the artwork "Earthtime 1.26 Munich", Mercedes-Benz hopes to build a bridge and provide access and knowledge to art for both visitors and Munich's residents.
"The art installation embodies the current zeitgeist and offers a space to meet and interact. It symbolises change in the interplay with nature similar to the transformation process in the automotive industry," said Katrin Adt, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans Own Retail Europe.
Its made of recyclable fibers, which are woven like a fishing net. Some of them are said to be up to 15 times stronger than steel by weight. But that doesn't mean that the structure is heavy. It's actually very light. So light that wind, rain, and light are able to move and transform the net, which is constantly moving. This movement causes it to change its shape and color, putting a show for the onlookers.
Its 3D shape was inspired by the ripple effect of the ocean's surface after an earthquake. In fact, the sculpture's name is a reference for the 2010 Chile earthquake, which caused a 1.26 microsecond shortening of Earth's days.
The artwork can be viewed best at night when colored LED lights transform it into a floating, luminous galaxy. Located opposite the Studio Odeonsplatz by Mercedes-Benz, the sculpture will revitalize Odeonsplatz until the beginning of October.
It will float in the skies above the brand's exhibition area at Odeonsplatz for the duration of the trade show, which will be exclusively dedicated to sustainable solutions for the future of mobility. Through the artwork "Earthtime 1.26 Munich", Mercedes-Benz hopes to build a bridge and provide access and knowledge to art for both visitors and Munich's residents.
"The art installation embodies the current zeitgeist and offers a space to meet and interact. It symbolises change in the interplay with nature similar to the transformation process in the automotive industry," said Katrin Adt, Vice President Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans Own Retail Europe.
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