Client: Royal Caribbean

Location: Miami, FL, United States

Completion date: 2016

Artwork budget: $400,000

Project Team

Lead Artist

Bill Washabaugh

Hypersonic

Artist

Jeff Lieberman

Plebian Design

Designer

Caitlin Morris

Hypersonic

Project Manager

Heather Blind

Hypersonic

Overview

Sky Wave is a kinetic sculpture for Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship, Ovation of the Seas. It is the signature artwork, placed above the Royal Esplanade in the ship’s main public gallery.

The 99 gleaming red petals of Sky Wave sway rhythmically with a choreography of evolving generative motions. The movements of bird feathers and flocks, schools of fish, and sea anemones inspired these patterns. Sky Wave reminds passengers of the interactions between the forces of nature and beauty of movement, while giving people a moment of wonder and awe.

Sky Wave is made of foam, aluminum, and motors. It is approximately 16′ x 16′ x 8′

Goals

Sky Wave reminds passengers of the interactions between the forces of nature and beauty of movement, while giving people a moment of wonder and awe.

Process

Hypersonic and Plebian Design worked with the commissioning agency Peter Millard and Partners, the Shipyard, and Royal Caribbean to produce this sculpture.