Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice

Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice are an installation combining physical steel structures with augmented reality to visualize tree communication systems, creating shadows that align perfectly with solar events while revealing hidden ecological relationships through technology.

Context

Environmental science concepts are often difficult to visualize, particularly when they involve invisible processes or phenomena that occur over extended timeframes. Tree communication systems—both above ground through canopy interactions and below ground through root networks—represent fascinating ecological relationships that typically remain unseen by casual observers. With growing scientific evidence showing that trees communicate, share resources, and respond to neighboring plants, there’s an opportunity to make these hidden natural networks visible through artistic interpretation. Additionally, the relationship between astronomical events and natural cycles on Earth offers a compelling framework to demonstrate these connections. The Art Walk site provides a public canvas where environmental science can be explored through both physical structures and digital augmentation, creating a multi-layered educational experience that connects viewers to scientific concepts through direct observation and technological enhancement.

Approach

Marian Hester and Mbangiso Mabaso developed an innovative approach that combines traditional sculptural elements with digital augmentation to reveal ecological relationships:

The team designed and constructed large steel shade awnings precisely calculated to interact with the sun’s position during the summer and winter solstices in the southern hemisphere. These structures were created from mild steel with urethane coating for durability in outdoor settings, with integrated solar lights to enhance visibility.

For the above-ground component (Summer Solstice), the structure was designed to cast shadows mimicking “canopy shyness”—the phenomenon where trees leave space between their crowns—with maximum clarity at noon on December 21st when the sun reaches its highest position in the southern hemisphere.

For the below-ground component (Winter Solstice), the structure casts shadows representing stylized tree root systems against a wall, with optimal viewing at noon on June 21st when the sun is at its lowest arc across the southern hemisphere sky.

The physical installations were enhanced through Lens Studio’s Location Based AR features, allowing visitors to use their mobile devices to visualize the typically invisible communication networks between tree roots. This technological layer adds dynamic movement and information to the static shadows, creating a more comprehensive representation of the biological processes being represented.

Output

Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice successfully created a multi-dimensional art experience that merges environmental science, astronomy, and interactive technology:

The physical installations consist of two large steel shade awnings strategically placed at the Art Walk site. The Summer Solstice structure creates ground shadows depicting tree canopy patterns with negative spaces illustrating the phenomenon of canopy shyness, where trees respectfully maintain distance from neighboring trees. These shadows appear most clearly defined at noon on December 21st (summer solstice in the southern hemisphere).

The complementary Winter Solstice structure projects shadows of stylized root systems against a vertical surface, with optimal clarity at noon on June 21st (winter solstice). These shadow patterns reveal the typically hidden underground architecture of trees.

The augmented reality component, developed using Lens Studio’s Location Based AR feature, allows visitors to point their devices at the installation to see virtual visualizations of root communication networks. This digital layer reveals dynamic processes like nutrient exchange, warning signals, and resource sharing that occur between trees but remain invisible to the naked eye.

Together, these elements create a year-round installation that changes with the seasons, highlighting different aspects of tree communication while demonstrating the relationship between astronomical events and ecological processes. The work effectively transforms complex environmental science concepts into an accessible, visually engaging experience that educates visitors about tree communication systems and their importance to forest ecosystems.

Credit

Web Developer
Sihle Ntshangase