Case Study/Installation

The Only WayOut Is In

The project

Fabrication

Precision matters in science, it matters more in art.

The Only Way Out Is In is based on sacred fractal geometry, there is a formula for the art to work. Each arch is exactly 2% smaller than the arch before, nesting perfectly inside the prior arch. There is a tolerance of 1/4” for the piece to work, math is art.

Bent steel tubes, each numbered and marked with its centerline radius
Each arch, numbered and measured
The bent tubes nested together on the shop floor
Nested on the shop floor

Process Process Process

How do you build a 50’ metal rainbow? One color at a time, kinda.

The process for fabricating involved multiple stepping stone creations. Temporary platforms for cleaning, prepping, sanding and painting before transporting to the final bases.

Bare steel arches nested against the studio wall
The arches test-assembled into a tunnel on temporary bases in the studio
A box of bolts with heads painted to match each arch color
Arches set up outdoors on temporary wooden bases, part bare and part primed
The full run of arches primed white on temporary platforms

Color Me Impressed

21 unique hues and a perfect spectrum.

Color is a circle and is infinite, its relation to sacred geometry is similar. A balanced step from color to color, a few spills in the process. No clowns were hurt in the making of this piece.

Paint swatches fanned into a full color wheel
A studio sink splattered with every color of paint
Numbered paint cans and mixing cups lined up in spectrum order

Not Too Far
Not Too Close
Just Right

Fractal geometry and the parallax effects require a perfect science but also some experimentation. When you bring sacred geometry into the real world it needs some translating. Spacing was based on a factor of 7.

The first seven arches, violet to pink, standing on their final bases with the remaining painted sleeves laid out in spectrum order

Rainbows Assemble

Building large scale immersive art on the playa at Burning Man brings a unique set of challenges. Weather being the main challenge. The art was refined to the simplest possible install. Assembly and strike took about 3 hours, dust storms be damned.

The Only Way Out Is In

Now brought to you in Technicolor

What began as an idea 3 months prior was brought into existence for thousands to laugh and play with, there’s no telling how many bicycle trips were taken down the rainbow tunnel.

All images shown are real photographs of the completed work. No generative AI was used.
The finished rainbow tunnel standing on the playa in a dust storm
The rainbow tunnel on the playa with the mountains behind it
A cyclist riding through the rainbow tunnel in a dust storm
Photo: Jane Hu