From simulations to sculpture when research meets art

The movements of water after a turbine are invisible to the eye but crucial to how we use our water resources. Thanks to visualizations developed by researchers at Luleå University of Technology, they have now taken shape in the sculpture Virvel, a work of art that raises questions about the role of hydropower plants in the landscape.

Behind the piece are the artist couple Anja and Tomas Örn from Luleå, who at the time took part in an artist residency in Halland. The somewhat unexpected collaboration with researchers at Luleå University of Technology grew out of the plans to channel the river Lagan and once again transform the landscape. Curious about the movements of water, the couple contacted the fluid mechanics research group, where they gained access to simulations and experiments that revealed hidden patterns of flow, later interpreted and reshaped into the sculpture.

"The simulations were so visual and aesthetic that they became an inspiration in themselves. It was a powerful experience whether you came from research or from art," says Anja Örn.

In the researchers’ models, vortices and currents emerge that would otherwise remain unseen. These images in particular sparked the artists’ curiosity and laid the foundation for their work.

"When we saw the simulations, we were fascinated immediately. They were so visual and clear that they almost became artworks in their own right," says Tomas Örn.

Tomas and Anja Örn during the creation process. Video still; Mitra Sohrabian.

New perspectives

For the research group, the collaboration was an opportunity to see their theoretical calculations tested in a completely new context. The exchange offered unexpected perspectives on how scientific data can take physical form and become part of an artistic expression.

"It was exciting to see our calculations transformed into a physical manifestation. We were impressed by how carefully the artists captured the movements while adding their own artistic dimension," says Michel Cervantes, Professor of Fluid Mechanics at Luleå University of Technology.

Staffan Lundström and Michel Cervantes.

A place for dialogue

Virvel consists of bent steel pipes assembled into a three-dimensional sketch. Even though it is not intended to be permanent, it has already become a place where people stop, look, and begin to talk.

"We want visitors to reflect on these environments that many perceive as natural but were in fact shaped for hydropower more than a hundred years ago. Now they may change again, and we hope the sculpture can contribute to conversations about that," says Tomas Örn.

One of the insights that emerged for the researchers during the process was how their studies could be communicated in new ways and reach people outside academia.

"Our simulations are inherently very visual, which makes them well suited to be translated into art. Through our collaboration with Anja and Tomas, we realized that art can complement research and serve as a way to engage people who would otherwise never encounter fluid mechanics," says Staffan Lundström, Professor of Fluid Mechanics at Luleå University of Technology.

The collaboration thus became a reminder that scientific results do not only belong in laboratories or academic publications.

"Using art as a bridge to society adds an extra dimension. Working with Anja and Tomas broke a barrier and showed us that our research can speak to more people than we might have imagined," says Staffan Lundström.

• Fluid mechanics