Artist turns controversial Olympic breakdancing routine into light painting animation

The 2024 Paris Olympics delivered countless unforgettable moments, but one performance arguably stood out from the rest: Australian breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn’s now-infamous routine.

Light painter Darren Pearson, aka Dariustwin (previously), has taken Gunn’s performance and transformed it into a truly incredible work of art. Using the light painting technique he’s known for, he has immortalized Raygun’s charming moves in a mesmerizing animated video.

Darren meticulously crafted the animation by capturing 44 individual images with a Sony A7R V. Each photo required a long exposure of 60 seconds, set at f/7.1 and ISO800.

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Gunn’s routine became a global phenomenon, sparking both admiration and ridicule. While some praised her courage and dedication, others found her performance lacking, and it ultimately landed her last place in the first-ever (and now last) Olympic breakdancing competition. Keep in mind, though, that the decision to remove breakdancing from the 2028 Games was pre-determined in 2022.

Despite the controversy surrounding Gunn, Darren chose to focus solely on the artistic potential of her performance. While his social media captions offered no personal commentary on Raygun or her routine, the comment sections quickly got on fire.

While poor Raygun faced tons of negativity, there still were voices of appreciation for both Darren’s artistry and her charming spirit in the comments.

“Happy to see someone making art instead of making fun of her. I would hate to be in the public eye these days,” wrote photobird on Instagram. “Why’s everyone gotta dog her to compliment the amazing artwork here?” chimed in mrsmaribethr, adding, “Anyone loving life is the winner!”

“While Raygun got 0 at the Olympics, you deserve an A+” wrote cyanic.orange. No doubt about that!

Honestly, I think Raygun’s performance was charming. People complain that it made a joke out of the Olympic Games, but hey – we in Serbia even made presidential elections a joke. Top that if you can (just kidding, don’t look up to us).

Anyhow, whether you loved or loathed Raygun’s performance, there’s no denying the artistry of Darren Pearson’s light painting tribute. Take a look at more of his work on his website, Instagram, and YouTube, and make sure to check out some lovely prints here.