Chandelier-like sculpture collects rainwater among trees

The artist John Grade has created an ethereal sculpture that dangles from trees in the Arte Sella Sculpture Park in Borgo Valsugana, Italy. Built from heat-bent wood, plastic, and fishing netting, “Reservoir,” looks like a chandelier that’s made from spiderwebs and diamonds.

In fact, Grade’s sculpture is effectively a rainwater capture system, comprising 5,000 individual plastic pouches whose shapes are modeled off of cupped hands. Their bent wood frames connect to nets via a fishing wire, which allows them to dangle like sun catchers. Strung into the tree canopy, the pouches gather rainwater as it dribbles through the leaves turning humble materials into thousands of glistening gems.

Photo: John Grade Studio

Photo: John Grade Studio

When the sculpture is empty, it weighs just 70 pounds and keeps its original form. After rainfall when the pouches are full, it falls lower to the ground and can weigh more than 800 pounds. Viewed from below, the piece looks almost like a cloud that’s been dismantled and frozen in time.