Contemporary artist Artem Martis has created a 6-meter-tall (19.7 feet) installation titled “What We Don’t See,” using 26 tons of industrial waste glass and 5 tons of stainless steel to draw attention to the hidden impacts of the climate crisis.
Designed to be displayed in Antalya as part of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the work takes inspiration from the vast mass of an iceberg hidden beneath the water’s surface. Rather than focusing solely on the visible consequences of climate change, the installation highlights the effects that often go unnoticed, inviting viewers to question how they perceive the crisis.
Measuring approximately 5 meters (16.4 feet) in diameter and weighing a total of 31 tons, the sculpture was created by repurposing industrial waste glass in line with the principles of upcycling.
A custom stainless steel support structure was engineered to complement the sculpture’s inverted pyramid shape, which represents the submerged mass of an iceberg. More than just an engineering solution, the steel framework also forms part of the work’s conceptual narrative, completing its overall design.
The 6-meter-tall glass surface consists of 360 individual modular blocks, each weighing an average of 70 to 80 kilograms (154 to 176 pounds). Thousands of pieces of glass are layered together to create a surface that interacts with natural light, producing ever-changing reflections and a sense of depth.
In keeping with its sustainable design, both the glass shell and steel support structure can be dismantled and reassembled at different locations, allowing the installation to be displayed in multiple spaces.
