This astronomical work of art shines at points around Pasadena – NBC Los Angeles

Admiring a work of art often implies being quite close to this work.

We lean forward, at a respectful distance, to observe the lines of an illustration, the one framed on a museum wall.

You move your hands along a sculpture that invites tactile touch.

And find a place close to the stage to listen to live music? You might choose to do so, for a particularly immersive experience.

But there are a few offbeat works of art that are best viewed not a few meters away but several miles away, including a very tall piece at the Mount Wilson Observatory.

It is ‘Sunstar’, the ‘art/science collaboration of Liliane Lijn and astrophysicist John Vallerga’, a work of light refraction mounted atop the observatory’s 150ft Solar Telescope Tower .

Taking sunlight and turning it into something beautifully prismatic is Sunstar’s superpower. of colored light.

Sunstar is just one ethereal entertaining element of Fulcrum Festival 2022, which shines a light on those provocative, empowering and joyful moments where science and art collide.

Our region is home to many of these notable connections, and many will be celebrated at the upcoming festival, which will take place around Los Angeles, and beyond, September 15-25.

The theme? It’s “Deep Ocean/Deep Space,” two epic areas that have long held Southern California artists and scientists in their heart-pounding passions.

‘[Alien] Star Dust Meets Plankton’ will beautifully explore the realms of ‘dust and microbes’ – projections of plankton and meteorites add panache to this playful presentation – while the Los Angeles River and Ballona Wetlands will headline their own major moments at the festival.

“We couldn’t be more excited about this year’s Festival as we welcome highly acclaimed local and international artists,” said Robert Crouch, Executive and Artistic Director of Fulcrum Arts.

The organizers’ emphasis on “the deep connections between art and science” will be celebrated by “exploring the amazing symmetries of the deep oceans and deep space”.

“These explorations are as immediate and relevant to the current climate crisis as they are heavenly and otherworldly. Fulcrum Festival 2022 is an opportunity for a kind of magically critical engagement with our world, with our community and with ourselves.”

Locations will vary, with UCLA and the 18th Street Art Center on the festival roster, so be sure to note where you’ll need to go if there’s an exhibit or event that particularly tugs the strings of your imagination.

As for the Sunstar schedule?

Prism’s favorite starts early, before the festival opens in mid-September. Look for the bright piece to point nicely in the direction of the Pasadena City College Center for the Arts from 11 a.m. at sunset through September 14, with Memorial Park later in the month.