We often associate modern street art with unruly graffiti or quaint murals, but in rare cases, a piece of art gains added value through our interaction. Nestled in Norfolk's NEON arts district is an unusual installation: the Cementiscope. As its name suggests, this giant kaleidoscope is housed inside a repurposed concrete mixer, offering passersby an urban toy to engage with.
By: Omri Westmark
Date: 15:18 04.03.22
Last Update: 21:07 10.02.25
Tucked away at the intersection of Granby Street East and Olney Road, the Cementiscope is a large-scale kaleidoscope enclosed within a zebra-striped cement mixer. Inside the drum, a series of small angled mirrors creates an endless medley of random reflection patterns, which can be further manipulated using a hand-operated crank that rotates the device.
Since the entire barrel can also be tilted up and down, it displays a dazzling, fragmented view of anything in its sight, whether it’s a surrounding building, the sky, or even a friend standing nearby.
This oddly-shaped art installation was created by the local artist group Glassatorium. Members Charlotte Potter, Kristi Totoritis, Joan Biddle, and Hannah Kirkpatrick were commissioned by the city’s Chrysler Museum of Art to craft an interactive sculpture that reflects the district’s recent construction boom.
The black-and-white-striped cement mixer where the kaleidoscope is encased
photography by: Omri Westmark
A small staircase serves as a position for a friend or even just a passerby to focus on with the Cementiscope
photography by: Omri Westmark
The device's somewhat chaotic patterns
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
photography by: Omri Westmark
Once a regional hub of the national automobile industry, Norfolk’s NEON district (New Energy of Norfolk) was established in 2013 when the city council set out to transform this gritty part of town into a thriving arts district. Alongside its urban mosaic of murals, NEON is home to dozens of art installations, including our aforementioned protagonist, the Cementiscope. These public artworks are funded by allocating one percent of every infrastructure project’s budget.
NEON’s appeal extends beyond public art, as evidenced by its vibrant mix of trendy restaurants and cafés, boutique shops, a local comedy theater, and perhaps most notably, art studios where visitors can witness creativity in action.
A vividly colorful mural on one of the Cementiscope's surrounding buildings
photography by: Omri Westmark
An art installation known as the PLOT, featuring two shipping containers
photography by: Omri Westmark
A dull façade turns into an open-air museum thanks to a large-scale mural
photography by: Omri Westmark
