C≈K¥◊CHΔRMS‡ (Lucky Charms)
Date2014–2017
Mediumneon, transformers, electric wire
Credit LineCollection of Remai Modern. Purchased with the support of the Frank and Ellen Remai Foundation 2017.
Object number2017.3
Classificationsinstallation
C≈K¥◊CHΔRMS‡ demonstrates Pae White’s conceptual approach towards the portrayal of an era in which we as humans have the unmitigated ability to directly manipulate the conditions of our existence. The neon tubes represent variations on white, each specifically selected because of its resemblance to daylight. Exposure to this kind of illumination is said to enhance feelings of wellbeing; the tonal shifts that result from the different LUX levels in the neon allowing it to function as a giant SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) lamp during periods of darkness.
C≈K¥◊CHΔRMS‡ (Lucky Charms) is a reconfiguration of an unrealized commission originally planned for Gloucester Road subway station during the Olympics, hosted in London in 2012. While the original version utilized nearly 2450 tubes of neon referencing ornamental motifs from a mythical magic carpet, this new version, specially created for Remai Modern and comprised of 164 neon components, expresses what occurs as that carpet unravels: unencumbered by its former logic and site, the ornament is set free, generating its own logic for its new environment.
