Lights have fascinated us from the beginning. The stars. Fire. Modern festivals of light celebrated every year in autumn.
IT CAN ONLY exist in darkness. Light art. Ever since we discovered fire, and have been using it to not only keep ourselves warm but also to drive away the darkness, we’ve been exploring light’s creative possibilities. The light art pioneer László Moholy-Nagy created his »Light-Space Modulator« around 100 years ago. Half a century later came Dan Flavin with his fluorescent »Diagonal«. But I’m sure that even two thousand millennia ago, Homo habilis stood on a dark hill waving his torch about.
Possibly to inform the neighbouring clan that the coast was clear (if it was). But also because he just liked the way the sparks would fly. Not a lot has changed in two million years. On the contrary, we are even more fascinated by light today than our ancestors were in the Pleistocene. In part, because we’ve learned how to keep the sparks from catching our hair on fire. Today we celebrate light festivals not on dark hills, but in bright cities. At the end of September, Berlin, Prague and Lodz will transform themselves into an enormous canvas for light artists from all over the world. Light becomes art. Nothing stays dark if it can be lit up. Streets and houses, the rivers Spree and Vltava.
People dress in lights to become kinetic light sculptures. Not a single façade is without a light and shadow play, streetcars shine as eerie 3D illuminations. In Lodz, the Festival of Kinetic Art of Light is going into its sixth edition this year. Since its beginning more than half a decade ago, the festival has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors and has evolved from simple coloured façade lighting to hypnotic forests of light with giant holographic jellyfish floating dreamlike in the treetops. Berlin, a melting pot of people, cultures, regions and nations, will celebrate »Berlin leuchtet« from 29 September to 15 October 2017.
Brandenburg Gate will be transformed into a beautiful gate of lights, the Victory Column shines as a throbbing symbol of love, the river Spree shimmers in hallucinatory colours, and thousands of people will be wandering the streets as walking light sculptures. All in all, more than sixty installations will light up the German capital after sunset. Prague is celebrating its fifth Signal Prague Light Festival in 2017. The Old Town, dark and romantic at any other time of year, will be transformed into a kinetic gallery of light where gleaming clouds of luminescence float over the narrow lantern-lit alleys. Charles Bridge becomes a fluctuating waterfall of light. Interactive illuminated spaces turn the streets into community light cells. Man’s taming of fire has reached its climax.
When dusk falls on Prague in October, the city lights up. It’s time again for the International Light Festival
At the end of September, the Light Move Festival in Lodz turns night into day (top). In early October, Berlin follows suit (below).
The Guardians of Time have been regular visitors to Berlin since 2011. It only makes sense that the mystical figures make an appearance at the Festival of Lights.
IN NATURE, LIGHT CREATES THE COLOUR. IN THE PICTURE, COLOUR CREATES THE LIGHT. - Hans Georg Albert Hofmann
EVENT
PARKLICHTER
Open-air concerts, light installations and a fireworks display as a crowning highlight. The whole city goes crazy for lights.
12. - 14. August 2022
Kurpark, 32545 Bad Oeynhausen
www.parklichter.com
STAY
VIENNA HOUSE EASY
BAD OEYNHAUSEN
Morsbachallee 1
32545 Bad Oeynhausen
www.viennahouse.com
EVENT
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
For the twelfth year in a row, the German capital’s top spots will be turned into places for light art and illuminative creativity.
07. - 16. Oktober 2022
www.festival-of-lights.de
STAY
VIENNA HOUSE ANDEL’S BERLIN
Landsberger Allee 106, 10369 Berlin
VIENNA HOUSE EASY BERLIN
Storkower Straße 162, 103407 Berlin
www.viennahouse.com
EVENT
COBURG MUSEUM NIGHT
What began in 2005 as a museum night has evolved into a large festival filled with different sensations. A newcomer locality this year: the historic Marstall riding stables.
10. September 2022
www.museumsnacht-coburg.de/lichtkunst/
STAY
VIENNA HOUSE EASY COBURG
Ketschendorfer Straße 86,
96450 Coburg
www.viennahouse.com
EVENT
ESSEN LIGHT FESTIVAL
The centre of Essen is getting ready for fourteen whole evenings of magically illuminated buildings and squares as well as amazing artistic performances all around the theme of light.
30. September - 09. Oktober 2022
STAY
VIENNA HOUSE EASY
CASTROP-RAUXEL
Dortmunder Straße 55
44575 Castrop-Rauxel
www.viennahouse.com
EVENT
LIGHT.MOVE.FESTIVAL
Buildings, streets, monuments and other famous places: the Light Move Festival casts Lodz in a whole new light. The event is a city institution that draws countless nighthawks onto the streets every year.
23. - 25. September 2022
www.lmf.com.pl
STAY
VIENNA HOUSE ANDEL’S LODZ
Ogrodowa 17, 91065 Lodz
www.viennahouse.com
EVENT
SIGNAL FESTIVAL
The Signal Festival takes place in Prague’s historic city centre
13. - 16. Oktober 2022
www.signalfestival.com
STAY
VIENNA HOUSE ANDEL’S PRAGUE
Stroupežnického 21, 15000 Prague 5
VIENNA HOUSE DIPLOMAT PRAGUE
Evropská 15, 16041 Prague 6
www.viennahouse.com
