Children’s Hospitals, spread across the US and located in Canada and Australia, do a fantastic job of helping even very sick children believe that better health is on the way. Still, entering any hospital is a daunting experience for children, leading the University of Oklahoma Children’s Hospital to commission a kid-friendly, LED-lit artwork project at the hospital entrance. The aptly named “Spirit” sculpture, by artist Matthew Placzek, is intended to raise the spirit of children entering the hospital and makes unique use of solid-state lighting (SSL).
The 140-ft-long Spirit sculpture includes twelve kites formed with stainless-steel frames and brightly-colored acrylic panels that complete the kite structure. LEDs light the kites at night, adding dynamic displays of color and a sense of movement and excitement. The LED-lit artwork also includes larger-than-life bronze sculptures of three children running with the kites. Continue reading