Dream About Shirasagi shows an egret (shirasagi) circling the sky, appearing to children in dreams and leading them to Himeji castle, a UNESCO landmark in Himeji, Japan. Like a dream, the movement of each ball is random and its path unpredictable. The viewer is meant to imagine themselves in the sculpture and enjoy the dreamlike adventure.

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The sculpture delights people of all ages and backgrounds with its swooping tracks, ingenious devices (that transform the movement of the rolling balls), sound-producing elements, and charming miniatures. In Dream About Shirasagi, there are three separate tracks for the balls to travel along. They move through devices such as a Bounce & Catch, Jiggle Pin Board, Hammer & Chime, Rock Back, Vee Bounce, and Spinning Ferris Wheel. Devices that are unique to this sculpture include wooden organ pipes that play low resonate tones and a handcrafted miniature of Himeji Castle.
 

Date:

2013

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Location:

Japanese Railway, Himeji Station, Himeji, Japan

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Dimensions:

9.8' x 6.6' x 6.6'

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Artist:

George Rhoads

Creative Machines