Schlieren Waves Live experiments with visualising invisible currents in transparent media and investigates the liminal thresholds between the seen and unseen. The Schlieren phenomenon was first observed by Robert Hooke in 1665 using a large concave mirror and two candles.

In this installation the Schlieren effect is caused by an LED light being shone into a Primary Telescope Mirror and then reflected onto an open razor blade, which partially blocks the light and so allows the air currents to become visible. A candle causes hot air currents to rise in front of the concave mirror, wafted by an electric fan. As a further experiment, a tank of water has been placed within the camera sight line, into which boiling water is added to alter the currents observed through the camera screen. Recordings of this view have then been rear projected onto a screen suspended from the studio ceiling.