Tech: SolarSonic

SolarSonic by Ray King

SolarSonic is a 100 meter long series of 14 discs suspended inside Taoyuan Airport's International Departure terminal’s exterior glass awning. It was inspired by the ancient Chinese Bi, the neolithic jade discs with a central opening that was used to meditate on transcending earth to the heavens.

SolarSonic, was created by sculptor Ray King in homage to Chinese cultural history, aeronautics, space travel and a symbol for Taiwan’s high-tech future. The lenses are connected together with 20 horizontal cables and come together most elegantly. In designing Solarsonic, King was reminded of science fiction author, Sir Arthur Clark’s short story "Wind from the Sun," about a spacecraft that was propelled by the power of sunlight. This method of deep space travel is becoming a reality. Solarsonic is one in a series of chromatic sculptures by King designed to interact with the sun. The sculpture’s concave holographic lenses are positioned to face the southern meridian of the sun and will be illuminated at night.