SUNBURST
Sunburst Germany (1850-2020), steel, bronze tinted mirror (14cm), car paint (RAL 7016), varnish, 2023
Dimensions: 130 cm x 102 cm x 0,8 cm
Based on temperature anomalies from 1850 to 2020 for Germany, provided by Berkeley Earth.
Download photos for Germany HERE.
At first glance, "Sunburst" looks like one of the more common sunburst mirrors, which are known as small, round mirrors with rays or bars that radiate out in a circle in all directions. A closer look at the symbolism of the sunburst mirror reveals an affinity with traditional artwork depicting a halo for powerful people, enlightened ones, saints, or gods. The sunburst was particularly evident in the Baroque monstrances of the Catholic Church to represent the host, images of saints, or relics. It is not surprising, then, that the first sunburst mirrors may have come directly from churches and monasteries looted in the wake of the French Revolution, simply by replacing the saint with a mirror. In the 1930s, sunburst mirrors became popular in upper-class Hollywood, and in the 1950s, they found their way into ordinary lower-middle-class homes.
Sunburst Canada (1850-2022), steel, bronze tinted mirror (14cm), car paint (RAL 7016), varnish, 2023
Dimensions: 118 cm x 109 cm x 0,8 cm
Based on temperature anomalies from 1850 to 2022 for Canada, provided by Berkeley Earth and the Government of Canada.
Download photos for Canada HERE.
In "Sunburst", the sun rays are generated from climate anomalies of selected countries from 1850 to the present. The mean annual temperature anomaly is generated as a sunburst graph: It starts at the top center at 0 o'clock with the annual temperature of 1850 and continues clockwise to the year 2020 (or 2022) at 12 o'clock. The lowest measured annual temperature is placed with a radius of 10 cm, the highest measured annual temperature is placed at 70 cm. The remaining annual temperatures are calculated between these two extremes. Although there are obvious differences in the graphs generated for each country, they all show a significant increase in mean annual temperatures in the last quarter (9-12 o'clock). The sunburst mirror, a decorative object meant to bring a bit of hubris and divinity into the home, subtly becomes an ominous warning of a turning point in history. The reflected image of ourselves is no longer framed by golden rays of sunlight, but by anthracite climate data. The crown of the sun becomes a crown of thorns: the drastic consequences of reckless consumption will be visible to all.
Sunburst mirrors can be generated from a variety of countries, regions and cities as long as solid climate data is available over a significant period of time.
Sunburst Spain (1850-2020), steel, bronze tinted mirror (14cm), car paint (RAL 7016), varnish, 2023
Dimensions: 116 cm x 124 cm x 0,8 cm
Based on temperature anomalies from 1850 to 2020 for Spain, provided by Berkeley Earth.
Download photos for Spain HERE.
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Sunburst Germany (1850-2020)
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Sunburst Canada (1850-2022)
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Sunburst Spain (1850-2020)
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