The  “The Ursas” is a new transformative project inspired by the grace and wonder of the Ursa Minor and Ursa Major constellations.

Unveiled on the playa in 2022, Ursa Minor stands at 13 feet tall, a luminous embodiment of serenity crafted from Infinity Mirrors. This free-standing sculpture invites contemplation and engages viewers with its delicate choreography of infinity-reflected LED lights. Inspired by the celestial splendor of Polaris and Ursa Minor, the sculpture’s multi-paneled body emanates a radiant glow, evoking emotions of awe, reverence, and a gentle reminder to cherish the world around us by simply looking up.

Standing nearby, and created from reclaimed ocean plastic trash, Ursa Major stands towering at 30 feet.
In a display of contemplation, Ursa Major’s hollow body becomes a vessel for glowing infinity mirrors, reflecting an ethereal mosaic of vintage biological drawings depicting animals that have vanished from our world within the past three years.

Together, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor stand as beacons of unity and compassion. 
Ursa Minor gazes skyward, embodying a hopeful spirit, while Ursa Major serves as both a sanctuary and a memorial, paying homage to the irreplaceable species we have lost.

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Designed for temporary exhibitions, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor come with a custom travel setup for easy transport. Some site adjustments may be necessary for stability, especially in extreme weather conditions, but these modifications facilitate worldwide indoor or outdoor exhibitions.

The Ursas are part of Lewin’s recent Extinct Animal Series including Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, In Flight, and Pileus all of which honor recent extinct or highly endangered species.

Ursa Minor is a towering 12-foot-tall infinity mirrored bear by American contemporary artist Jen Lewin.The sculpture is free-standing and engages onlookers with its colorful flowing and interactive LED light choreography. Inspired by the dazzling natural phenomena of Polaris (the North Star) and its constellation Ursa Minor, the sculpture’s multi-paneled infinity mirrored body illuminates, conveying emotions of amazement, wonder, and exploration and reminding us to “Look Up”.

At Ursa Minor’s grand scale, it serves as a glowing compass and landmark for navigation as we maneuver through uncertain times. Jen Lewin brings us direct interaction with nature through her unique LED technology. Ursa Minor is one of two sculptures in a new body of work highlighting the natural world in our current moment of climate crisis. The work will premiere this September as part of The Last Ocean; an 800 square foot field of ice-like interactive platforms inspired by the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica.