Composed of 1499 polystyrene mirrors and 4 moving headlights, Beauty Lies Exhausted In The Streets is an installation by Susanne Kessler, with light by Herbert Cybulska and sound by Gregor Knüppel.

The expansive array of mirrors that makes up this installation simulates the everyday phenomenon of light reflected in moving water. Instead of occurring in the background, the installation creates an atmosphere where this phenomenon is the focus, attempting to create a new visual understanding of daily life.

The form and position of the mirrors in the room are based on studies of light reflections, and four shifting headlights, equipped with a daylight torch and a colour changing system, illuminate the mirror plates. Their movement and slight alterations in the colour palette are programmed to rotate in a 20-minute cycle, creating multifaceted, mirrored reflections. Occasionally, a beam of light is reflected in the mirror and strikes the viewer’s eyes, just as the sun does on a bright day.

The room is intended as a place to pause and reflect, and make visitors more aware of their sensory perception. Kessler’s work is part of an exhibition entitled Smoke+Mirrors/Shadows+Fog, which features 16 international artists who use low-tech means to create illusions. The exhibition, curated by Tracy L. Adler and Mara Hoberman, runs from February 18 – April 17, 2010 at Hunter College/Times Square Gallery in New York.

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