John Gerrard Completes Year-Long "SPIRITS" Cycle With "Autumn Equinox (Atlantic Ocean)" for LACMA
The fourth chapter of John Gerrard's SPIRITS project, titled Autumn Equinox (Atlantic Ocean), has been launched on the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's website, marking the conclusion of its 365-day solar cycle. This initiative, commissioned by LACMA's Art + Technology Lab, reimagines 96 discarded plastic shoes and sandals sourced from four significant oceans as 3D virtual sculptures. The final chapter features worn footwear from Morocco, presenting a poignant electronic reflection ahead of the winter solstice. Using real-time rendering and Gaussian splatting, Gerrard highlights the relationship between waste and the environmental impacts of plastic and petroleum. The project follows an ecological narrative, beginning with Winter Solstice (Pacific Ocean) and culminating with Summer Solstice (Mediterranean Sea).
Key facts
- SPIRITS is commissioned by LACMA's Art + Technology Lab
- The project runs a full 365-day solar cycle across four chapters
- Autumn Equinox (Atlantic Ocean) is the fourth and final chapter
- The work features 96 discarded plastic sandals and shoes from shores along four major seas
- Gerrard uses Gaussian splatting and real-time rendering technology
- The Autumn Equinox chapter draws on footwear collected along Moroccan shores
- The cycle began with Winter Solstice (Pacific Ocean) and closes on the winter solstice
- The project is presented on LACMA's homepage
Entities
Artists
Institutions
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- LACMA Art + Technology Lab
- Kaltblut Magazine
Locations
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Bangladesh
- Buriganga River
- Morocco
- Pacific Ocean
- Indian Ocean
- Mediterranean Sea
- Atlantic Ocean