Discovered 40 years ago on this day, the laser occupies an interesting place in popular culture. Around 25 years back, everyone seemed convinced that the integration of lasers and neon into everyday objects would be a surefire sign that we, as a species, have officially entered 'the future' (If you don't believe me, you need brush up on your 80's Sci-Fi). It's now 2010, and chances are, you're probably not sporting laser light duds unless you're buddies with Kanye West. But you can at least take solace in the fact that the laser is still alive and well in the realm of fine arts.
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Utility was obviously not the goal of 'speed of light,' a new series of installations from UK collective United Visual Artist (UVA). Instead, they're using lasers, mirrors and optical fiber to create light sculptures, furniture and other mesmerizing bits of interior decor. Commissioned by Virgin Media, the 6-room installation uses 148 lasers to trace the outlines of a sofa, a flat-screen TV, a coffee table and other, more abstract forms throughout the darkened halls of an empty house on London's south bank. That's a whole lot of PEW. Check the images in the gallery above.
