At least, it’s a real smoke-generated THING that is manipulated by real physical objects and lighting to make it LOOK like a real cloud. That is, it is NOT an actual cloud, it’s all smoke-and-mirrors you see. It is created by Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde.
Here’s the official description:
Cloud gazing is no longer an activity reserved for the outdoors, thanks to these life-like but surreal indoor clouds created by Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde. Using a method he first developed in 2010, Smilde created “NIMBUS II” (That’s “Nimbus 2” for you non-roman-numeral readers), a raincloud that hovers in an indoor space!
The clouds are generated using a smoke machine, but Smilde must carefully monitor a room’s humidity and atmosphere in order to get the smoke to hang so elegantly, and with such life-like form. Backlighting is used to bring out shadows from within the cloud, to give it that look of a looming and ominous rain cloud. Smilde says his purpose was to give form to “physical presence found within transitional space.” AWESOME.
I’d also add… “Now I’ve seen everything”. :P

