Cerussite
Cerussite forms part of the sculptural installation Alive with Cerussite and the Peppered Moth, inspired by the orthorhombic crystal structure of the mineral cerussite. The project is a collaboration between Beyond Design Architects, Raqs Media Collective and Efstratios Georgiou, with Raqs Media Collective acting as the artistic lead.
The structure assembly of Cerrusite is composed of building blocks at three distinct scales. The largest elements, fabricated using CNC-milled timber, form the base of the structure. From this foundation, robotically 3D-printed components rise to create a large-scale spatial assembly.
Size
15 sqm
Location
Museum of Modern Art: Mathaf, Doha
Status
Completed
Category
making
The 3D-printed elements are produced using recycled plastic and grow in a ‘crystalline’ formation. Together, they create a spatially layered, three-dimensional ‘deep screen’ onto which the industrial history of Manchester is projected, narrated through the story of the peppered moth.
The assembly is modular in nature and designed for complete disassembly into its individual parts. These are reconfigured into new forms each time Cerussite travels to a new location, adapting responsively to each site.
Beyond Design Architects were instrumental in the design, fabrication and installation of the sculpture. The assembled form of Cerussite is held together using a system of screws. Each sculptural assembly is unique and has not been repeated.
Cerussite was originally conceived as part of the exhibition Twilight Language at The Whitworth Gallery, Manchester, in September 2017. Since then, the work has been exhibited in new, site-responsive iterations at the Palais de Tokyo, Paris, and the Museum of Modern Art: Mathaf, Doha.
