Tesla Electric Portrait

Tesla is a lighting installation, created as a homage to electrical pioneer and ‘father of modern technology’ – Nikola Tesla. It was produced as a collaboration between ambience and graphic artist Duro Cubrilo.

This was a real labour of love done over many months with the concept execution being a complex task for what in essence is a very simple technique. Built using 759 energy efficient LED globes mounted to a grid, various mask diameters were perfectly measured around the curve of each globe – allowing exact light levels to escape at different sizes. When viewed as a collective the dots recreate an iconic image of Nikola Tesla.

The concept behind the use of ‘traditional’ shaped globes that are often associated with Edison is a reference to the infamous rivalry between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla; with Tesla being largely unrecognised for a number of his groundbreaking and thoroughly awesome achievements while Edison (often unfairly) got much kudos. Tesla is designed to be engaged with by the viewer when both illuminated and dormant.