There is something deeply primordial in Ovoid, the installation project by SpY that comes to life in two distinct yet complementary forms: one monumental and luminous under the Wadi Hanifah bridge in Riyadh, and one kinetic, composed of eight red ovoids swinging in pendulum-like motion. Two interpretations of the same idea — the oval shape — that speak of nature, rhythm, and perception.
The Saudi version, created for the Noor Riyadh Festival 2024, is a 35-meter-long colossus that transforms the urban landscape into a psychedelic vision: a glowing red oval suspended beneath the bridge like an alien portal. Its reflection in the water creates a visual short circuit between what is real and what is illusion. It’s an installation designed to disrupt scale, challenge materiality, but above all to create an emotional dialogue with the viewer and the surrounding environment.
But Ovoid also exists in a more intimate and meditative form. In its kinetic iteration, the work consists of eight red ovoids suspended from the ceiling, moving in perfectly synchronized pendulum sequences. Here, the sense of wonder comes not from light, but from movement. The ovoids swing one after another, evoking the hypnotic precision of a natural metronome. Their continuous sway relaxes the brain’s conscious activity, inducing a trance-like state. It’s an invitation to contemplation, where the body moves within the artwork and the gaze discovers ever-changing geometries — with each step, with each pendulum swing.
With Ovoid, SpY doesn’t just create visual installations: he builds immersive experiences where form, light, and movement become tools to awaken our deepest perception. It’s a journey between matter and wonder, where letting yourself sway is the only way to truly understand.
