The Crystal Palace Installation -
The Snow Goddess' Crystal Palace sits atop the jagged glacial mountains of an enchanted frozen wasteland known as The Crystal Kingdom. The palace was formed over many aeons, its walls were created by mammoth shards of ice stalactites which collected around the debris and scattered remains of an ancient fallen star. Through time giant crystalline formations emerged to engulf and reclaim the wreckage of the fallen star and its remains became absorbed into the lonely ice world. The palace contains fragments of frozen nature and magical creatures of the Fae, perfectly preserved relics from a golden age when life was abundant. Inside some of the ice formations lie frozen figures that were once lovelorn suitors, their eerie silence now captured in frozen form.
Whispered echoes of the omniscient snow goddess emanate from within the icy walls. She watches helplessly as her handsome chamois hunter gets thrown into the abyss by the goblin hoard. Her heart begins to melt and as her tears fall, gushing torrents thaw the icy landscape.
Inspired by the geometric arrays of natural phenomena such as snow crystals and stars, the Crystal Palace is constructed from metal, acrylic and paper. Paper is cut, wrapped, twisted and overlaid to reveal fragments of the frozen world caught at the moment of transformation. The Snow Goddess projection is made in the style of a paper cut stop motion animation with overlays of hand drawn, graphic and photographic effects. Gradual pulsating lights and animation projections of tear drops and water ripples on the ceiling heighten the ethereality of the palace. It is situated in a tensile structure, which represents the Snow Goddess' corporeal presence. Great teardrops fall which herald the melting of The Crystal Kingdom.