"Avani" means "earth" in Hindi (according to Google Translate, it also means "lesson"); this word aligns closely with Aveda's stated mission. It made sense, then, as I was conceptualizing this piece for the salon, to encode AVANI in morse code into the light itself.

The lightbulb shapes themselves carry the code: looking at the sculpture from the open side of the alcove, and reading left to right with each letter spelled out front to back, it says:

A = globe, rod

V = globe, globe, globe, rod

A = globe, rod

N = rod, globe

I = globe, globe

The glass baubles around the lights are there for shine, reflectivity, and whimsy - they are not part of the code in this work.

CODE: Avani

Approx. 4' w x 2' d x 4' h

wood, wire, lightbulbs, glass, monofilament

Permanent installation: Athena Aveda Salon, Boylston Street, Boston, MA