a drop in the ocean

"You are not a drop in the ocean, you are an ocean in a drop." – Rumi

This installation is an abstraction of Rumi’s words, translating the essence of unity, individuality, and transformation into a striking sculptural form. A single, suspended water droplet is frozen in time, fragmented into an array of cascading acrylic cylinders. Each reflects and refracts light, immersing viewers in a world of transparency, distortion, and shifting reflections that invites visitors to look within themselves.

Resembling the atomic structure of water molecules, the form symbolizes the interconnected nature of all things. The installation resonates with the competition’s theme of wellbeing, illustrating how individual elements come together to form a whole just as water's molecular structure is united to create the life-giving force that sustains us.

Architecturally, the design takes reference from St John’s Gate, mirroring the shape of the arch to produce a form complementary to its historic surroundings. The cylinders are arranged following a phyllotaxic grid—a common pattern found in nature that speaks to organic harmony and efficiency. Precision-engineered through CNC laser cutting, each component is locked into the waterjet-cut steel base, ensuring structural stability while maintaining an ethereal presence.

This installation is a powerful encapsulation of water, demonstrating its transformative and unifying essence, to invite visitors to pause, reflect, and immerse themselves in the beauty and significance of water.