Icelandic–Danish artist Olafur Eliasson’s prolific practice encompasses sculpture, painting, photography, film, and social action. But he’s perhaps best known for his immersive, often illusory installations centered on elements of the natural world. Olafur’s 2003 work “The Weather Project,” for example, saw him installing a gigantic artificial sun in the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall; while for 2008’s “The New York City Waterfalls,” man-made waterfalls cascaded on the shorelines of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Many of the artist’s works are meant to challenge notions of perception, and raise awareness around issues such as climate change. Olafur featured on WePresent as part of “Yes, but why?” a collaboration with Tate galleries to explain what makes some of the world's best artists so brilliant. Tate curator Mark Godfrey walked us through his enduring influence.
