Shakespeare Machine
Ben Rubin

Client: The Public Theater
Date: 2012
Location: New York, New York

Artist Ben Rubin hired Parallel to fabricate a sculpture for the newly renovated lobby of the Public Theater titled “The Shakespeare Machine.” The chandelier-like sculpture, with 37 blades supporting LED screens—one for each of Shakespeare’s plays—features a constantly changing array of language taken from the Bard’s work.

Parallel was responsible for designing and fabricating the 37 blades with the LED screens, aluminum extrusion housing and associated hardware, the data interface board that drives data to the blades, and the circuit boards that route data and power.

The challenge was to design the aluminum blade extrusion with as thin a profile as possible while also ensuring adequate room for the electrical and hardware components inside. Parallel was also responsible for programming the LED screens to accept the artist’s complex and fast-moving displays.