The Buckyball sculpture is inspired by my earlier collaborations with the Birck Nanotechnology Center at Purdue University, where I first learned about the C60 molecule and its applications in medicine and semiconductors. I was fascinated by how this form acts as a connector, both structurally and symbolically. Its naturally occurring geometry resembles a soccer ball, a shape deeply familiar and meaningful in Colombian culture. For me, this connection between technology, art, and sport became a metaphor for human relationships: how individuals connect with one another, with their communities, and through shared experiences like soccer. Just as the World Cup brings people from all over the globe together, the Buckyball represents unity, structure, and the beauty of connection.
Created for the SJ26 FIFA World Cup festivities in San José. Along with the PILS series, the sculptures were developed through a collaborative studio-to-site process with students from San José State University, blending traditional metal fabrication with digital modeling, rapid prototyping, and programmable LED systems.
Steel, PEX, LEDs, Polycarbonate, LVCIA board, I/O board, Animation, Video mapping
Width: 8’ 2” x Depth: 8’ 2” x Height: 7’7”
Concept design & Lead fabricator: Esteban García Bravo
Structural Engineering: Jon Brody Structural Engineers
CAD and 3D design: Hugo Pérez Patriz
Welders: Daria Orlova, Nabeeha Ahsan, Timna Naim, Hugo Pérez Patriz
Metal fabrication: Rhyme Balatbat, Jared Langner, Sophia Nguyen, Akari Che
Circuit assembly: Aiden Khaleck
3D printing: Aiden Khaleck, Benjamin Sandoval LED Wiring: Sydney Silva
LED animation: Jocelyn Monreal-V, Emily Chaing, Max Hu
Install Crew: Miguel Cano, Andrea Arellano, Alex Rodriguez, Nandi Marocco
Animations: Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Cano, Alejandro Maciel, Courtney Spisak, N@pTim3 Collective City of San Jose
Project Manager: Cynthia Cao
