“Glitch is predicated on exploiting wrongness to catch the sublime.”

“STAR” is a lighting installation in an unfinished five-storey concrete building in Butterworth, Penang. Inspired by the notion of “glitch,” a dodecahedron, a 12-sided star-shaped installation appears almost as an error or a temporary irregularity, suddenly finding itself lodged within the concrete superstructure of an abandoned building. First recorded in an American space program, the term “glitch” was used to describe a spike or change in voltage in an electric current. It is a manifestation of the sterile conditions of Butterworth, a once thriving industrial port and significant terminal between the mainland and island. The odd juxtaposition of “STAR” with its “host” creates new relationships, tangible and intangible. It is an aestheticization of digital and analog irregularities, becoming a transient portal to a new dimension. Comprising five hundred metres of steel cables and LED strips, “STAR” abstracts kitsch street decorations with electrical cables and transposes them into a formal, recognizable entity. As one steps closer, the installation segregates itself into several floors, each becoming its own spatial experience. The form breaks down into glowing lines, each fragment holding specific information. The installation is a speculation for the future of Butterworth, connecting various dimensions on familiar terrains to unearth new relationships. It is perhaps the utopian dream - the birth of a star.