Olafur Eliasson at the Tate Modern

Who is Olafur Eliasson?

Olafur Eliasson is a Danish-Icelandic artist who works across a wide range of media, including installation, painting, sculpture, photography and film. Shining a light on issues surrounding sustainability and climate change, his immersive installations have been displayed in many high-profile museums across the world.

In 2019, the Tate Modern has curated a major retrospective of Eliasson’s work, and we just couldn’t miss the chance to take a look.

Tate Modern - In Real Life

Bringing together over 40 works of art, created between 1990 and the present day, this fantastic exhibition was full of experiences to thrill the senses.

Walking through the door, we were immediately immersed in a room of helixes, pyramids, globes and geodesic domes. With geometry underpinning so many of Eliasson’s works, ‘The Model room’ allowed us a glimpse into the way his designs are conceived, in materials such as paper, wood, and even Lego. Showcasing over 30 years of geometric experiments, these prototypes were a fascinating insight into the evolution of the designer.

Moving further around the spaces, we encountered water, lichen, bold colour and dark spaces. Playing with your perception of space and light, some of the most visually striking works included the unsettling but enticing ‘Din blinde passager’ (Your blind passenger, 2010) – a 39-meter corridor full of dense, coloured fog and ‘Your uncertain shadow’ (2010) – a wall full of colourful, oversized shadows. Another highlight, the kaleidoscope room featured a number of geometric installations that distorted colours and reflections. ‘Your spiral view’ (2002), a mirrored kaleidoscopic tunnel was one of our favourites.

Bold, surprising and followed with a serious message, this was art with purpose. It is impossible to view Eliasson’s works without becoming aware of melting glaciers and the amazing, yet changing natural world we find ourselves in. It is rare to find such engaging works that leave such a lasting impression – we would highly recommend a visit. ‘In Real Life’ is at the Tate Modern until the 5th January 2020.

Louis Poulsen at the Terrace Bar

After the fascinating tour of the exhibition, we stopped for a bite of lunch at the Tate’s Terrace Bar. With a vegetarian menu chosen by Eliasson to create as lower carbon emissions as possible, we ate spiced carrot soup, freshly baked bread and courgette cake, all which had been locally sourced where possible.

The restaurant itself had been transformed to match the atmosphere of the designer’s Berlin studio, with communal long tables and the stunning Quasi Pendant from Louis Poulsen taking centre stage.

OE Quasi – a combination of geometry and light

A collaboration between Danish lighting giants Louis Poulsen and Olafur Eliasson, the OE Quasi Pendant is a breath-taking design of complex mathematical geometries. Consisting of two geometric layers, the outer 20-sided aluminium icosahedron surrounds a 12-sided polycarbonate dodecahedron inner. These two shapes fit together perfectly to create a dramatic hanging feature that captivates onlookers, as much a piece of sculpture as it is a source of light.

“I'm very excited to bring my long-time interest in geometry and light into this collaboration with Louis Poulsen to create the OE Quasi Light. What distinguishes it from so many lamps is that it shines in towards the core, from which the light is reflected back out onto the surroundings. In one form, the lamp combines precision in design with quality atmospheric lighting” Olafur Eliasson

Designed to be sustainable

Created to last a lifetime, like much of Eliasson’s designs the idea of sustainability is integral to the OE Quasi. Combining engineering precision with the highest-quality atmospheric light, the latest LED technology has been used within the pendant to give maximum energy efficiency. Twelve embedded light sources shine from the outer frame towards the pendant's core: a white polycarbonate reflector which emits a soft, glare-free light back into the room. Thanks to its interlocking geometries, the viewers perspective of the light is endlessly changing depending on the angle it is viewed from.

The pendant has been designed to be disassembled, allowing individual parts to be replaced and recycled, rather than having to buy an entirely new fitting if it was ever damaged. The materials used have also been carefully chosen to be long-lasting and as environmentally friendly as possible; the aluminium used in the outer shape is 100% recycled and everything else is recyclable.

Fancy taking home a piece of Olafur Eliasson’s art for yourself? Discover more about the OE Quasi Pendant on our product page.

Our expert team are also on hand to answer any questions you might have - you can get in touch via email, over the phone on 0114 243 3000 or via Live Chat at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen.

Have you had the chance to visit ‘In Real Life’ at the Tate Modern? Share your favourite moments from the exhibition with us by tagging us on Instagram @nest_co_uk.