The Lantern

2023 | Atacama Desert, Chile

The Lantern is a memorial to commemorate the memory of water amidst Chile’s water crisis. Located along the perimeter of the Salar de Atacama, the walls are composed of tinted polycarbonate intended to mimic the fog of the desert. Sunlight shines through the translucent material so the memorial lights up, like a lantern. The view is partially blocked, symbolic of the small percentage of water set aside for human consumption, and visitors are guided to peer through the small “peeling” windows towards the salt flat and mountains. The experience offers a moment of reflection, as visitors simultaneously view the past, present, and future.