Helena Kauppila

Plant and Sky

Plant and Sky began with a particular plant that caught my attention at sunrise. For a brief moment, the light picked out its geometric leaves against the sky, making this one plant suddenly present. The moment that inspired the painting is no longer available in quite the same way: brighter streetlights have since changed this spot, overwhelming the subtle colors of dawn.

Plant and Sky is part of my larger Sunrise series, inspired by the power of sunrise and by the complex ways natural light interacts with ecosystems and well-being. As part of this series, I take measurements on the roof of the Technische Universität Berlin, recording the changing colors of sunrise with a video camera and a spectroradiometer. This is possible because a research group there is also studying sunrise in detail and working toward dawn simulations aimed at improving well-being in urban environments.

Interested in "Sunrise: Plant and Sky"? Inquire below.

Getting it home

Pick up the painting from Zeitgeist at the end of the exhibition, or have it shipped to you. I’m happy to provide a shipping quote.