The Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts
presented Michael Jones McKean’s The Rainbow: Certain Principles of Light
and Shapes Between Form. The project creates a simple, but phenomenal
visual event — a rainbow in the sky in downtown Omaha. The public artwork produced
temporary rainbows above the Bemis
Center for Contemporary Arts using the most elemental materials: sunlight and
rainwater. Throughout the project cycle, collected and recaptured storm water was
filtered and stored in six above-ground, 10,500 gallon water tanks. Within the
gallery, a custom designed 60-horsepower pump supplied pressurized water to
nine nozzles mounted to the 20,000 square foot roof of the Bemis Center. At
timed intervals, in the morning and early evening, a dense water-wall was
projected above the building emerging a rainbow. Based on atmospheric
conditions, vantage point, available sunlight and the changing angle of the sun
in the sky, each rainbow had a singular character and quality depending on the
position of the sun.
View the Omaha rainbow by McKean at http://youtu.be/FGJs0pZ00vQ
