Project Description
Glass artist David Gappa’s newest creation, Introspection, is a visible interpretation of an often hidden process in our bodies: the communication of nerves. A commission piece for The University of Texas at Dallas’ Brain Performance Institute, the new installation serves as a focal point within the interior of the 62,000 square-foot facility, which celebrated its grand opening October 12.
Located adjacent to the renowned Center for BrainHealth in Dallas, the Institute’s architecture and interior design are inspired by the brain and serve as a visual reminder of the research institute’s commitment to enhancing, protecting and restoring brain health throughout the lifespan. Gappa’s synapse installation, Introspection, is located on the ceiling of the building’s ellipse-shaped multi-purpose room, which represents the frontal lobe of the brain (the social, dynamic and active area of the brain). Designed to capture the essence of thought as it pulsates through a field of synapses, Introspection artistically translates the catalytic movement of energy as it transfers through our creative minds. Similarly, the ellipse-shaped space will serve as a communal area of the facility, a space where people can interact and communicate ideas.
A visually dramatic centerpiece, the intricate installation of glass and steel weighs 5,300 pounds and measures 50-feet wide by 40-feet long. Introspection consists of 175 LED-illuminated glass spires and 1,050 hand-blown glass spheres. Each five-and-a-half-foot spire is individually illuminated and can be controlled via an iPad to slowly pulsate an array of colors across the entire piece, similar to the electric impulses passed between nerve cells.