A group of actors dance in a ring of ultraviolet light projected onto a square in Rotterdam from a glowing black orb suspended above them. Pretending to forget the pandemic for a while, they do not wear masks and do not observe the rules of social distancing.
Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde’s “Urban Sun” installation seeks to harness ultraviolet light to reduce the amount of coronavirus in the air in crowded spaces and reduce the risk of transmission.
“This is not in place of a vaccine or government rules, it is an additional barrier, an additional safe zone for schools, hospitals, train stations,” Roosegaarde said.
Roosegaarde, who has briefly shown the installation twice in Rotterdam, said his hope was “to create places that are safer, rather than being stuck on this Zoom screen all the time.” (Photo: Reuters)
The pandemic has sparked a surge in interest in UVCs, or ultraviolet light at wavelengths less than 280 nanometers, an effective killer of coronavirus and other viruses.
Commercial manufacturers do not recommend that people be directly exposed to UVC rays out of concern that they could damage the skin or eyes. The actors involved in the project were only exposed to light for a few minutes at a time and were tested for coronavirus.
Roosegaarde, who combines science and design in his projects, created Urban Sun after studies that suggested ultraviolet light at 222 wavelengths, slightly less than the industry standard, is generally safe.
The facility seeks to take advantage of ultraviolet light to reduce the amount of coronavirus in the air in crowded spaces and reduce the risk of transmission. (Photo: Reuters)
His concept is to use visible light, which shines on the black orb, to illustrate where the invisible ultraviolet light is present: directly below. The effect is a bit like an eclipse.
Roosegaarde, who has briefly shown the installation twice in Rotterdam, said his hope was “to create places that are safer, rather than being stuck on this Zoom screen all the time.”
He hopes to mount his installation at dance festivals in the summer as COVID-19 restrictions ease. The Netherlands currently prohibits public gatherings of more than two people and has a nightly curfew starting at 9pm.
Roosegaarde said his hope was “to create safer places, rather than being stuck on this Zoom screen all the time.”
Jet Bussemaker, who chairs the Dutch Council for Public Health and Society, said artistic creativity has a role to play during the fight against the pandemic.
“Perhaps we also have to create space for experiments, creating room for imagination and not just for medical, technical and very safe arguments,” Bussemaker said. “It is a very dangerous virus,” he added, “but at the same time we have to move on with our lives.”
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She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.