If you’ve ever walked into The Rockwell Museum, chances are you’ve already experienced the museum’s knack for turning its entryway into something unexpected. Now, that tradition continues…only this time, it glows.
The museum’s newest Antigravity installation, True Gravity, is now suspended inside the building’s rotunda, and it’s hard to imagine a more fitting welcome. Created by neon artists Kelsey Issel and Meryl Pataky, the piece transforms the space into something that feels weightless. Sculpture and light study, all delicately hanging in the air.
At first glance, True Gravity might remind you of woven textiles floating in midair. That’s intentional. Drawing inspiration from open-weave fabrics, the artists explore the push and pull between structure and softness, independence and connection. But instead of thread, they’re working with hand-bent glass tubes filled with krypton gas, producing a dreamy milky-white glow that feels futuristic and organic.
And this isn’t a lightweight piece in any sense of the word. The sculpture weighs more than 100 pounds, yet appears to hover effortlessly, suspended by nearly invisible monofilament. That tension between heaviness and grace is central to the work.
Issel, who designed the installation with mentorship and collaboration from Pataky, describes True Gravity as a study in trust. Trust in materials, in process, and in each other. That spirit runs through their shared work at She Bends Studios, a studio and educational space that champions women and gender-expansive artists working in neon and glass.
Now in its eighth year, The Rockwell’s Antigravity series continues to be one of the most quietly exciting public art experiences in the region. Each installation greets visitors before they’ve even seen a single gallery, and often sets the tone for everything that follows.
True Gravity will be on view through March 2027, making this less of a “catch it while you can” exhibit and more of an invitation to slow down, look up, and maybe spend a little more time in the lobby than you planned.
And as always, if there is cool art stuff happening in your town, let me know about it! Email me at amicha@wskg.org.
