Gabby O’Connor: All the Colours - All the Light

In the Antarctic, moisture particles in the air can freeze and act as tiny prisms, reflecting a rainbow of light that creates twinkling clouds known as ‘diamond dust’. Gabby O’Connor uses theatre lighting gels to create a large geometric form which will transform the front foyer into an immersive kaleidoscope that will bathe your senses in colour.

All the Colours, All the Light was first shown in 2017 at the Islamic Arts Festival in Sharjah. It was subsequently shown at the Dowse Art Museum in Wellington, and the third iteration of the work is was shown at Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum. O’Connor’s practice works closely with the architecture, its limits and possibilities to transform site, materials and the spatial experience of the audience. She uses research of geographic location to inform the installation process, and so each time this work is installed, it changes shape to fit the gallery’s architecture.

Image caption: Gabby O’Connor, All the Colours, All the Light, 2017-2024, Ashburton Art Gallery, 2023. Image courtesy of the artist.