Wervel [Turmoil] is an ingenious 20-metre-long, double-sided video led-sculpture flowing through the center of the Forum Garage. This public artwork by artist Nicky Assmann, commissioned by Kunstpunt Groningen, is based and inspired on the qualities of a tornado and a representation of turbulence in the form of the sculpture. It follows the architectural contours of the Forum Garage beneath the newly built Forum Groningen by NL Architects, a cultural center in the city centre of Groningen. Wervel [Turmoil] shows colourful, composed video images of natural phenomena such as turbulence and fluid dynamics, and the science behind them. The patterns that these natural phenomena show, from the cosmic level to the macro and microscopic levels, are combined with flowing dynamic hypercolours. The result is a beautiful composition of light, movement and imagination that stimulates and amazes the senses in an immersive spatial experience.

The video sculpture Wervel [Turmoil] is saturated in intense colours achieved through video and LED light and displays a range of colourful and digitally composed videos that originate from natural phenomena such as turbulence and fluid dynamics and the scientific processes behind them. It shows transitions of colour and nebulous forms undulating across different dynamics of viscosity and fluidity, revealing mesmerising abstract images and organic visual patterns. The visuals are immersed in, what Assmann refers to as hypercolours, which she finds both in nature and the digital colour spectrum, and are characteristic for her work. Phenomena as turbulence and fluid dynamics create patterns that recur at a microscopic, macroscopic, and cosmic level and Assmann is inspired by visual patterns that arise from such phenomena. The work is inspired by the colourful turbulent patterns that occur in her previous works with liquid soap films, by fire tornadoes that are fuelled by forest fires, as by turbulence seen on a larger scale; such as turbulent patterns seen in solar storms and centuries lasting super tornadoes on the planetary atmosphere of Jupiter, as in the chaotic flow patterns and vortices in fluids, air and eroded into our earth’s surface that multi-spectrum telescopes and space probes can now reveal. Years of collecting related images and videos viewed at different scales resulted in a personal database and are used by Assmann as input for the two specifically custom-built video synthesizers based on the same principles as these phenomena. Allowing her to compose and alter the continuously-changing visuals of turbulence and fluid dynamics into 22 unique videos. These composed videos are shown in a random and continuous order. Combined with the various angles from which the sculpture can be viewed when walking or driving around the sculpture, placed in the spiral oval shaped centre, allows for a mesmerising and immersive experience upon visiting the Forum Garage. With Wervel [Turmoil] Assmann is looking at the world around us by means of zooming in and zooming out and by contrasting the micro, macro and cosmic, she discerns recurring images and patterns to gain a sense of reflection and relativity. Wervel [Turmoil], both refers to these natural phenomena such as turbulence and fluid dynamics and serves as a metaphor for the turbulent and fluid times in which we live.

https://nickyassmann.net/work/wervel-turmoil

https://vimeo.com/536059421/26e50a74ec

https://www.kunstpuntgroningen.nl/en/kunstopdracht/wervel-nicky-assmann-2019/

Details

Building or project owner : Forum Groningen

Architecture : NL Architects with ABT Engineering, Netherlands

Project artist/ concept/ design/ planning : Video sculpture Wervel [Turmoil] by artist Nicky Assmann, Netherlands

Structural engineering : Constructive design, steel construction and placement of sculpture Wervel [Turmoil] in Parking: DOK, Netherlands. Architectural Engineering Forum Parking: ABT with NL Architects, Netherlands.

Technical layout light : artwork Wervel [Turmoil] in Parking: Spectro Productions, Netherlands

Display content/ visuals/ showreel : Composition, database, production of videos for artwork Wervel [Turmoil] in Forum Parking: Nicky Assmann, Netherlands. Co-production videos: Joris Strijbos, Netherlands. Development video synthesizer 1: Nenad Popov, Germany. Development video synthesizer 2: Jean-Michel Couturier, France.

Lighting control software : MAX by Cycling '74. Custom build software for video playback: Dieter Vandoren, Netherlands, Joris Strijbos, Netherlands.

Project co-ordination : Kunstpunt Groningen, Nicoline Wijnja, Jan Samsom, Netherlands

Project sponsor/ support : Commissioned by Kunstpunt Groningen, made possible through the support of Gemeente Groningen, Mondriaan Fonds, Netherlands

Descriptions

Facade type and geometry (structure) : The architectural sculpture Wervel [Turmoil] by artist Nicky Assmann is based on the formal qualities of a tornado, representing natural phenomena like turbulence and fluid dynamics in its shape. The organic flowing sculpture consists of a hanging steel structure. This complex construction with the many, often double twists was constructed by engineering company DOK. The technical design and realisation for the led-sculpture is done by Spectro Productions, allowing for a thin and double-sided screen from flexible LED panels and the electronics placed inside the sculpture. Dimensions: 20 meter x 127 cm x 9,4 cm, with a 7 meter height difference.

Kind of light creation : Wervel [Turmoil] is a 20-metre long video sculpture hanging in the center of the Forum Garage. The double-sided LED sculpture is emitting light through more than 1.300 flexible LED panels, with over 2 million pixels, showing 24 hours per day several uniquely composed videos with colourful, flowing visuals on turbulence and fluid dynamics.

Resolution and transmitting behaviour : 4032 x 256 pixels, 60 Hz, flexible led modules

Pixel distance : 4,7 mm

Luminace : Brightness 1000 nits

Urban situation : City center of Groningen

Description of showreel : Wervel [Turmoil] shows uniquely composed videos made by artist Nicky Assmann on the subject of turbulence, fluid dynamics and hypercolours. The videos are based on a personal database consisting of years of collecting related images and videos viewed at different scales. These images and videos are used by Assmann as input for the two specifically custom-built video synthesizers based on the same principles as these phenomena. Allowing her to compose and alter the continuously-changing visuals of turbulence and fluid dynamics into 22 unique videos. These composed videos are shown in a random and continuous order. Combined with the various angles from which the sculpture can be viewed when walking or driving around the sculpture, placed in the spiral oval shaped centre, allows for a mesmerising and immersive experience upon visiting the Forum Garage.

Participatory architecture & urban interaction

Mediacredits

Image by Jenne Hoekstra

Image by Jenne Hoekstra

Image by Jenne Hoekstra

Image by Jenne Hoekstra

Image by Jenne Hoekstra

Image by Jenne Hoekstra

Image by Nicky Assmann

Video by Tanja Busking and Koen Dijkstra