QWALALA
INSTALLATION

Artist | Pae White

Location | Venice

The monumental installation Qwalala by American artist Pae White opened to the public in the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice during the 57th International Venice Biennale of Art.

The 75 m curved wall consists of 3,000 hand-cast glass bricks. The wall’s shape and colours were selected by the artist from thousands of random computer-generated combinations. Inspired from Roman glassmaking, the massive blocks shine in 25 different colors.

The special wavy colour effect inside the glass bricks was created using powders combined inside the glass during the production process, generating the vibrant colour patterns under the surface.

A period of only six weeks meant a quick installation of the glass bricks was required. The structure also needed to allow an easy disassembly at the end of the exhibition, therefore the bricks were bonded together on site using a white structural silicone.

The result is a fascinating and exciting art installation that combines traditional craftsmanship with advanced engineering and smart solutions.