UCLA Moment of Reflection

In partnership with UCLA, renowned artist and UCLA alumnus, Refik Anadol created a multisensory experience commemorating the beauty of nature and seeking to aid in our collective renewal through the power of art. The installation was unveiled at a Moment of Reflection ceremony before being made available for public viewing. The experience, which had over 5,000 visitors, was placed in UCLA’s Sculpture Garden, in juxtaposition with the natural landscape surrounding it. UCLA blue uplights were added to the coral trees lining the path behind the 15’ screen and firefly-like twinkle lights lined the garden paths. UCLA Chancellor Gene Block spoke at the ceremony designed to allow members of the Bruin community to take stock of the toll of the pandemic, remembering those we’ve lost. Block acknowledged that the pandemic affected everyone differently and encouraged each person to explore the ideas and emotions Anadol’s work provoked, before bringing Anadol up on stage to unveil his work—Machine Simulations: Nature. Machine Simulations: Nature turns vast photographic datasets of nature into multisensory experiences to commemorate the beauty of the earth we share. Created specifically for UCLA’s Moment of Reflection the data sculpture uses more than 300 million photographs of nature. To close the ceremony, Anadol asked the audience to open velvet gift bags that had been distributed to the crowd, revealing an individual glowing orb for all to raise, bringing the community together.