Infinity Of Reflections
The magic of the kaleidoscope
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word kaleidoscope?
Maybe an old toy? A craft? A school activity? And yes, the kaleidoscope is all that; but it’s also a perfect combination of science and art. An instrument created from the study of optics and light and, although it does not seem so now, it was considered in its time as one of the most important inventions.
The inventor, David Brewster, patented his product in 1817. Brewster was a scholar in many areas, an expert in the natural sciences, and considered a genius because he entered college at a very young age. However, as a new entrepreneur, he did not take a few variants to consider when mass-producing his product. So only certain parts of the product itself were patented. Many other people also began to mass-produce the cylinder that captivated all of England.
Despite this, our inventor managed to sell 200,000 kaleidoscopes in the first three months. The popularity of the invention spread throughout Europe and the United States. And no, they weren’t just children’s toys, as we might know them today. “Everybody” had one.
That is why we could well call it the smartphone of Victorian England.
Of course, there were all “flavors and colors.” Depending on your social class, you could have a kaleidoscope of better or worse materials, with a more elegant aesthetic or with an austere design. Does it remind you of a certain device that many would like to have the best of?
What made the kaleidoscope have that enchantment in the population? What made them stick to it?
David Brewster, other than being a great scientist, had a great appreciation for the beauty of symmetrical figures. In fact, he considered that his invention could be useful to artists so they could replicate these beautiful patterns that could be seen from the concave viewfinder of the kaleidoscope.
Although there was already a record of experiments carried out with the reflection system, it was Brewster who found the ideal combination so that these infinite patterns had the perfect conditions to be seen most beautifully and symmetrically possible.
The word kaleidoscope, due to its Greek origin, means to observe beautiful images or shapes. The meaning by itself already revealed its enchantment; to be able to observe something beautiful all the time.
Usually, the prism has 3 mirrors that reflect each other, creating an infinite view. Light and optics are elements of science, however, at the same time they have always been creative tools; that’s where the magic of kaleidoscopes resides.
Even though 200 years have passed and no one goes on the street with a kaleidoscope anymore, it is surprising to think that they are still manufactured by companies or artisans; they are school projects that develop the artist and scientist within children. And while they weren’t used by artists at that time as Brewster would have liked, they are a source of inspiration for some of them today.
Artist Lauren Buckley made an installation with this theme; where visitors walked through large-scale hexagonal tunnels. These tunnels contained mirrored walls and moving images so one could feel inside a giant kaleidoscope.
And so that you can imagine a little bit more of the installation and the inspiration behind it, we invite you to see it through the following link: Saatchi Gallery launches walk-in kaleidoscope exhibition
