Nature’s Blueprint – Copper Phthalocyanine Sculpture
A molecular visualisation exploring the atomic architecture of colour through art
About the Project
Nature’s Blueprint is Briony’s latest sculpture that bridges chemistry and art, making visible the beautiful atomic patterns that create some of nature’s most striking colours. This work visualises Copper Phthalocyanine—the synthetic pigment known as Winsor Blue—at the molecular scale, revealing how electron density clouds and aromatic chemistry determine the vibrant hues we see.
Commissioned by Gallery Pangolin for the extraordinary exhibition Back to the Cave: The Full Spectrum at Clearwell Caves, this sculpture represents a new approach to understanding colour through three-dimensional molecular modelling..
Nature’s Blueprint in Clearwell Caves
Phthalocyanin pigment, jesmonite, stainless steel, perspex
2025
Unique
The Science Behind the Sculpture
Copper Phthalocyanine is one of the first synthetic pigments, developed by Winsor and Newton in 1927. Unlike earlier Prussian Blue which contains toxic cyanide, this deep blue pigment is non-toxic while delivering exceptional tinting strength and an intense, pure blue hue.
Microscopic images of Copper and Iron Phthalocyanin from research done by Nan Yao of the Imaging and Analysis Center at the Princeton Materials Institute
The sculpture accurately represents the molecular structure, where each atom becomes a human figure. At the centre is a metallic blue figure representing the copper atom (Cu²⁺), coordinated by four nitrogen atoms (blue figures) from the phthalocyanine ring—a large, flat aromatic macrocycle molecule. The surrounding carbon atoms appear as black figures, with tiny white figures representing hydrogen atoms.
This aromatic compound is exceptionally stable because the nitrogen atoms delocalise electron density around the copper centre. When white light strikes the molecule, it absorbs red-orange wavelengths (600-700 nm) as electrons jump to higher molecular orbitals. The remaining light creates the characteristic deep blue-cyan colour we perceive.
This visualisation reveals connections to similar structures in nature: Heam (in haemoglobin) with iron at its centre appears red when carrying oxygen, while chlorophyll’s central magnesium gives plants their green colour and enables photosynthesis as outlined in my below diagram:
Revolutionary Visualisation Technique
The sculpture employs transparent perspex sheets that are precisely cut to represent the electron density cloud surrounding the aromatic molecule. This innovative approach makes visible the quantum mechanical reality that determines molecular colour—the three-dimensional space where electrons exist around atoms.
Orbital energy levels for Metallophthalocyanines from research by Qunfei Zhouab Zhen-Fei Liu,c, Tobin J. Marksad, and Pierre Darancet
Diagram depicting the electron orbitals of the molecule, which was then translated into a stylised design, used to cut the Perspex sheets for the sculpture.
Materials and Sustainable Practice
In creating this work, I’ve prioritised safer, more natural materials wherever possible:
Structure: The armature uses stainless steel for durability and stability.
Figures: Made from jesmonite (a polymerised plaster composite) rather than toxic resins, providing strength while remaining safer to work with. Instead of fiberglass, I’ve used bull rush fluff as a natural reinforcement material.
Pigments: All colours are non-toxic and natural:
- Carbon black (similar to soot) for the carbon atom figures
- Phthalocyanine blue for nitrogen atoms
- Aluminium powder mixed with the blue pigment for the central copper figure to create a metallic sheen
Electron clouds: Transparent perspex (acrylic) cut to precise molecular geometries
Artistic Vision
This sculpture does more than represent molecular structure—it explores how atomic architecture shapes our visual world. By using human figures to represent atoms, the work creates an emotional connection to chemistry, making the invisible forces that create colour tangible and relatable.
The piece invites viewers to consider fundamental questions: What makes something blue? How do molecular patterns determine the colours that fill our lives? Can understanding chemistry enhance our appreciation of natural beauty?
Exhibition Context
Nature’s Blueprint was created specifically for Gallery Pangolin’s ambitious exhibition Back to the Cave: The Full Spectrum at Clearwell Caves. The ochre pigments historically mined from these caves—some of humanity’s earliest artistic materials—provide perfect context for exploring how colour connects ancient and contemporary art.
The underground setting echoes the environment where our earliest ancestors first created art, while the sculpture’s molecular precision represents the cutting edge of how we understand colour today.
This work represents a new frontier in scientific visualisation through art, making complex aromatic chemistry accessible while maintaining appropriate accuracy. It demonstrates how contemporary sculpture can illuminate the molecular world that shapes our visual experience.
