WATERVILLE, Maine — Castonguay Square in downtown Waterville is home to a new art installation called "Light Sentinels," which casts technicolored swaths of light.
Behind the art is Skunk Control, a Melbourne, Australia-based creative group. Prompting moments of wonder and curiosity for how the world works is the goal of the six scientists and engineers turned artists.
The peculiar name comes from the group’s early days, working long hours cutting and melting plastic in basements. While there are no skunks in Australia, creator Nate Athanasiou said the name stuck.
"We had no idea what skunks smell like. We were told they were bad, and so we thought since we were making bad smells we might as well call ourselves Skunk Control," he said.
A biochemist by trade, Athanasiou said he and his colleagues hope more people embody the desire for discovery they had as children.
"We want people to embrace that excitement when they were young," he said. "When every day was a chance to learn something new."
Such a new discovery may be that the artwork above has no color and neither do the wings of many butterflies and moths.
The immediate reaction to the question, "How can that be?" is what Skunk Control is about.
Athanasiou explained that most colors we perceive are the result of pigments, which absorb certain wavelengths and reflect others.
The coloration perceived on the wings of many insects or on peacock feathers is created by microscopic structures scattering the light. This is why the color appears to morph and change depending on the angle.
Athanasiou said that "Light Sentinels" is "constructed from special optical filters" to mimic that very same effect.
Along with the 10 towers, Athanasiou brought small art projects so visitors could create their own dichromatic artwork, according to Serena Sanborn, the manager of outreach and community partnerships with Waterville Creates.
"[They] actually designed some really, mini light sentinels people could make," Sanborn said. "They also designed moths that have beautiful wing structures."
"Light Sentinels" will remain installed in Waterville through late November before heading back to the land down under. Those interested in making the trip can learn more at Waterville Creates' website.