Exploratorium’s annual light-based art exhibition features dazzling new works and fan favorites
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — This winter, Pier 15 once again shines brightly as Glow returned on November 21, 2024. The much-anticipated annual exhibition invites visitors of all ages to experience the magical intersection of art and science through light-based installations and exhibits. From glowing geometries to hypnotic 3D illusions, this year’s exhibition features eight mesmerizing works, showcasing the brilliance of artists who use light to spark imagination, curiosity, and joy.
“This year’s Glow exhibition pushes the boundaries of how we experience light; blending art, science, and technology in truly innovative ways,” said Allison Roach, Project Director of Temporary Exhibitions. “Each piece invites visitors to play with perception, question reality, and explore the unseen forces that shape our world. We’re thrilled to offer an immersive experience that not only dazzles but also sparks curiosity and wonder in children and adults alike.”
This year’s Glow exhibition features an exciting lineup that invites visitors to interact with light in captivating and unexpected ways. Highlights include:
- ~Light Lilies by Collective Paper Aesthetics is a modular light installation that combines mathematics and electronics. Explore the large sculpture and then build your own version!
- ~Well of Lights by Toshio Iwai presents images that evoke fish and birds, seeming to move and transform as strobing lights reflect off rotating plastic sheets.
- ~Reflection Studies by Zach Lieberman is an immersive artwork where you can paint the walls with digital light and shadow as you play with light, typography, and graphic design.
- ~Sketches, also by Zach Lieberman, showcases his “Daily Sketches,” a series of poetic computations he has been creating since 2016 using open-source tools.
- ~Onion Skin by Oliver Ratsi invites you to walk inside hypnotic 3D illusions, challenging you to question your perception. What do you think you see? What do you really see?
- ~Supersymmetry by Akiko Yamashita explores the movement of light as it passes through lenses and filters, separating into different wavelengths before converging on the projected surface.
- ~Line Wobbler by Robin Baumgarten is a one-dimensional dungeon crawler where you battle enemies, navigate lava, and overcome force fields. Can you complete all nine levels?
- ~Museum of the Moon by Luke Jerram is a large-scale artwork featuring a detailed replica of the Moon, printed using high-resolution NASA imagery. At a scale of 1:700,000, it showcases every cliff and crater, inviting you to reflect on the cultural and scientific significance of Earth’s satellite.
- ~Light Lab – Did you know most of our exhibits are created by Exploratorium staff? Stop by the Light Lab to explore new prototypes and help us develop future exhibits!
Visitors can look forward to wandering through light-filled spaces that blur the boundaries between what’s real and what’s imagined. Be prepared to question your own eyes as light shifts, distorts, and mesmerizes with every step. Whether you’re a seasoned Glow attendee or new to the experience, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in this year’s stunning lineup of artworks.
Glow will be open to the public from November 21, 2024, through January 26, 2025. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the Glow event page.