Alistair McClymont, Raindrop
wood, jesmonite, aluminium honeycomb, steel mesh, fan, electronics, copper wire, lab equipment, water
Raindrop is based on a machine made by the University of Manchester in the early 1970s to study rain. The original design has been modified during a two-year long process of experimentation in order to sustain a single drop of water hovering in mid air above the specially designed wind tunnel.
“Raindrop comprises a machine built to allow a drop of water to hover in mid air. Viewing this translucent, jewel-like object instils a very bodily sense of unease. Arrested in free-fall, its form mechanically maintained in a seeming repudiation of basic physics, the stationary raindrop throws us off balance, making us feel as though we were plummeting to the ground in its place.” Tom Morton – Art House Foundation press release
Read an article in New Scientist here
The photographs of the raindrop were taken at the artists studio in daytime using high speed macro photography.
Watch some videos of the work here: