Originally published in The Voice of San Francisco in December 2025
In a much-anticipated return, Glow will transform Pier 15 into a luminous playground of light, art and science. Artists from around the world will bring their groundbreaking work to San Francisco in an immersive interactive experience. Returning installations join new contributions in an exhibition that invites the viewer to listen to the sounds of color, wander in a city of shadows, bask in the shimmer of an artificial sun and explore many more radiant encounters.
Aperture Lucida
Tristan Duke’s installation Aperture Lucida returns to the Exploratorium as the creator, who was an Artist-in-Residence from 2017 to 2019, brings back this popular piece born out of his experiences in photography, holography, and the science of optics. A monolithic structure appears to project a holographic-like ball of light, transforming as the viewer moves. The ball itself is an optical illusion created by over a half million precisely drilled holes in black panels. Approaching the monolith closely successfully collapses the illusion and reveals the complexity of holes responsible for the apparition. The mystery is revealed by the attendees’ curiosity and willingness to explore.
The Thawing of… and Reflecting Holons
The Thawing of is a recording of thee of Akiko Nakayama’s “Alive Paintings.” Petri dishes, sand, and other materials form a base on which ice, oil and bubbles are poured. The results create a brilliantly-colored ever-shifting biomorphic landscape. Each performance is unique and accompanied by a musical score. The color interaction, according to the artist, represents “…the dance of yin and yang.”
Reflecting Holons is a kinetic art installation by Martens & Visser. Long, delicate strips of iridescent foil are attached to a rotating metallic axis, the Holons turning as the motors spin them. Soap bubble forms emerge from the movement, reflecting and refracting rainbow-colored lights.
The Dreamer IV and Wave
Found objects transformed into a whimsical sculptural city comprise The Dreamer IV by Angela Yuen. The collection of manufactured goods amassed over time – plastic toys made in Hong Kong, beads, acrylic sheets, LED lights, resin and a motor – create a jewel box effect of an imaginary city scape casting off tall, colorful shadows as the piece rotates.
Wave by the artist Squidsoup consists of nearly 500 individual suspended orbs. Through light and sound, each orb becomes an autonomous sensate unit via LED lights, a speaker and microcomputer. Movement sensors and wireless connectivity help to orchestrate harmony and light moving through the collection of orbs creating waves of sight and sound. The installation functions as a complex organism and also a musical instrument.
Line Wobbler and Star-Filled Void
Line Wobbler by game developer Robin Baumgarten is a 1DK experimental hardware game. The minimalist light design is attached to a spring controller – or wobbler – allowing the participant to control a green pixel while battling enemies, lava, and force fields. Created with a spring that moves the pixel along and an LED strip, Line Wobbler allows the participant to move the spring to push the pixel forward and backward, including sound effects controlled by the acceleration of the wobbler.
Star-Filled Void allows each human silhouette to become part of a living constellation by incorporating participant’s shadows into the work. As visitors move, sensors capture their outlines and customized software transforms them into glowing constellation projections. The piece, created by Maja Petric, takes individuals and transforms them into part of a vast cosmology of a shared, infinite universe.
One’s Sunset Is Another One’s Sunrise
Created by Jaqueline Hen, One’s Sunset Is Another One’s Sunrise is made from thousands of acrylic mirrors that move independently, plus a ring of LEDs that create a warm, orange glow. The artificial sun that’s created never sets and never rises, placing the environment outside of time, and making the viewer question beginnings and endings while basking in its glow. Shining a spotlight at the moving mirrors creates scattered reflections that dance on the floor. Hen’s work takes on the possibility of social transformation through communication and participation in art.
An Exploration of Sensation
Glow is inspired by the sense that the attendee isn’t just a passive witness to creativity, they are active participants with the art that surrounds them, and the art in turn reacts to their presence. In this way, every visit creates a unique experience for each individual. “This year’s Glow takes our celebration of light, art, and science to an entirely new scale,” said Allison Roach, Director of Temporary Exhibitions. “With larger-than-life installations and immersive environments, some pieces invite hands-on exploration while others inspire awe from a distance. We can’t wait to welcome visitors back to experience the surprise, delight, and curiosity that Glow brings to all ages.”