Yu Fan He and Chia Chen Lee · CLIENT: Ministry of Culture, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Resonance is a site specific floating light installation composed of seven modular black iron structures positioned in the waters of Yuejin Harbor. Inspired by the cyclical order of the Seven Luminaries, the installation translates celestial rhythms into sequences of programmed light that extend across water and shoreline. Woven nylon ropes act as both structural tension and luminous surfaces, diffusing light through the steel framework. Through reflections, spatial layering, and controlled light movement, the installation creates a dynamic visual field that shifts with distance and viewpoint.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Resonance is a light installation consisting of seven black iron structures, serving as a silent response to our presence in the modern age. The sculptural forms serve as metaphors for "convergence and generation". As light rotates and flows through the iron framework, it mimics the diffusion of energy, prompting a resonance between diverse cultures, memories, and emotions.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width 380 cm x Depth 300 cm x Height 460 cm
- Tags
- Resonance, light installation, floating light installation, Seven Luminaries, modular steel structure, cyclic light rhythms, immersive spatial experience, Yuejin Lantern Festival, spatial resonance
- Production Technology
- The installation is set in the waters of Yuejin Port, positioned 460 cm from the shoreline and extending into the adjacent land area. It measures 784 cm in total width and 480 cm in overall depth, with a primary structural footprint of 380 cm by 300 cm and a height of 460 cm. The structure is composed of modular black iron units in three different sizes, assembled on site. White nylon ropes are wound through the grooves of the black iron plates, integrating light with the surrounding environment. In addition to providing an effective reflective interface for illumination, the ropes generate centripetal tensile forces that draw the interlaced iron plates inward, enhancing the overall structural stability of the installation.
The installation is supported by a floating platform with a black iron tubular frame. Onto this frame, the black iron modules fitted with fixed LED light strips are welded. Buoyancy is provided by flotation blocks, allowing the installation to remain steadily suspended on the water surface. To maintain positional control, anchoring piles are installed on the riverbed, with steel cables securing the installation to both banks. This configuration preserves the visual effect of water reflections while ensuring reliable performance under wind and water conditions. - Design Challenge
- The realization of Resonance involved both conceptual and technical challenges. The project sought to translate the abstract notion of resonance into a spatial condition while situating the installation within the cultural and environmental context of Yuejin Harbor. Drawing on the traditional concept of the Seven Luminaries, the work reinterprets cyclical celestial rhythms through a contemporary light environment, balancing symbolic meaning with direct public experience.
The construction process required a carefully coordinated sequence of fabrication and assembly. Seven black iron modules were welded prior to the weaving of nylon ropes and later assembled on site with the assistance of a crane. Designed with deliberate angular compositions, the modules present a visually top heavy profile, necessitating additional steel cables to ensure structural stability. With a combined weight of approximately 309 kilograms and uneven spatial distribution, the floating platform required repeated adjustments of buoyancy and counterweights to achieve a stable equilibrium while preserving the intended formal composition. - Project Duration
- The project started and was completed in January 2026 in Tainan, and was exhibited at the Yuejin Lantern Festival from February to March 2026.
- Operation Flow
- The lighting plan centers on the primary structure and the water-land interface. Each structural unit is fitted with two fixed LED light strips. Ten black iron light poles (diameter 2.5 cm, height 60-120 cm) are distributed across the water and shoreline, with five welded to the structure and five installed on land, all equipped with LED light strips.
Lighting is organized into three zones: primary, water, and land, creating layered visual experiences. From afar, the installation reads as a unified rhythmic composition. At mid range, sequences of light waves become visible. Up close, light filters through the woven rope structure, producing subtle shadows.
Programmed lighting flows between land and water, forming a dynamic resonance that responds perceptually to viewer movement. - Research
- At Yuejin Harbor Water Park, in an era of endless acceleration and fragmented perceptions, the installation uses cyclic rhythms of light to invite observers to reclaim a moment of focus within a fractured reality. As viewers move and experience the work from varying distances, the shifting rhythms and reflections of light allow them to become part of the resonance through layered visual interaction. Ultimately, the work transforms the site into a field of energy exchange, a silent response to existence in the present moment.
- Inspiration
- The project draws inspiration from the Seven Luminaries (Qiyao), symbolizing the cycles of the sun, moon, and stars. These celestial bodies correspond to internal human emotions and rhythms, carrying both cosmic order and the diversity of life. Positioned to echo one another across the water, the seven structures create layers of ripples that momentarily freeze the vast rhythms of heaven and earth at this specific location.
- Image Credits
- IMAGE CREDITS:
Image #1: Photographer Yu-Sheng Yao, Tainan, 2026.
Image #2: Photographer Yu-Sheng Yao, Tainan, 2026.
Image #3: Photographer Yu-Sheng Yao, Tainan, 2026.
Image #4: Photographer Yu-Sheng Yao, Tainan, 2026.
Image #5: Photographer Yu-Sheng Yao, Tainan, 2026.
VIDEO CREDITS:
Yu-Fan He, Chia-Chen Lee, Tainan, 2026.
Press releases are available in 1 languages.