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The Story Behind The Silver, Shimmery Artwork Floating Over Pershing Square
Liquid Shard by Patrick Shearns (Photo by Juliet Bennett Rylah/LAist)
Have you perhaps wondered what that oddly mesmerizing thing over Pershing Square is? It turns out it's a piece of public art from Patrick Shearn titled "Liquid Shard." According to Curbed LA, the piece was commissioned by the Recreation and Parks Department and the nonprofit Now Art LA. It is made of several mylar strips attached to rope.
The piece should remain up until at least August 11, though Recreation and Parks Assistant General Manager Kevin Regan said he'd like to keep it up longer, according to the L.A. Times.
Shearn worked on the piece with a dozen students from around the world who were all attending the Architectural Association Visiting School. Together, they used a 3-D computer modeling program to figure out how the piece would move, then built it overnight before its debut on July 28.
Shearn has lived in L.A. since 1989, and owns the company Poetic Kinetics. You might recognize their large-scale works from festivals like Burning Man or Coachella—they did the giant astronaut at Coachella 2014.
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You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
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