Vessel - 2018

‘Vessel’ is a kinetic light sculpture commissioned The University of Sheffield and The University of Leeds to visually communicate their work on cell dynamics. Dr Paul Beales who commissioned the sculpture explained “The goal was to produce a piece inspired by the mechanism by which a protein nanomachine bends cellular membranes to create new membrane compartments…”. I spent time in the labs working alongside researchers. The resulting work consists of a steel circular structure, which represents the cell, supporting a second smaller disc of stretched latex representing the cell membrane. The shadow of a rotating copper spiral is projected onto the surface of the latex to show how proteins form spirals on the cell wall. Dr Barbara Ciana who leads the Sheffield team, said that the visuals of a spiral changing shape using latex and a shadow were better than the computer models they had of the cell wall distortion and could be considered to be science. Paul Beales summarised. “Vessel has proven an interesting centre point for discussion…demonstrating the versatility of art in presenting ideas to very different audiences. Public response has likened the piece to an optical illusion, for example, while scientists have drawn connections between Vessel and their own areas of science including the distortion of space-time by spiral galaxies – a completely different length scale to biomolecular processes in a cell. This has led to me revisiting concepts in galaxy formation and general relativity to explore the possibility of more tangible links between the underlying science of these two disparate systems.”  

‘Vessel’ has been presented at ‘The Artificial Cell’ at the Royal Society’s Chicheley Hall and ‘The Astbury Conversation’ a Nobel Laureate symposium as well as Light Night Leeds.

Collection of Leeds University

Film - John Coombes