Lumiere London 2018 – Victoria illuminated

Headline Date 31-01-2018

Lumiere London has kicked off a brilliant new year in Victoria. Lighting up the greyest London days, we had five brilliant installations in the area:

Mick Stephenson with Electric Pedals: The Rose

Whilst our city was swathed in illuminated spectacles over the Lumiere London weekend, millions of people don’t have access to light or technology on a daily basis. Made from recycled plastic bottles designed in workshops with local school children, Mick Stephenson and Electric Pedal’s The Rose was powered by bicycles pedalled by members of the public at Westminster Cathedral Piazza. The Rose was lit up in pink, orange, yellow, purple, blue and green hues, providing us with a warming glow on some of the darkest days of the year. This more serious theme is the main focus of this piece, which concentrates on poverty, sustainability and climate change.

Patrice Warrener: The Light of the Spirit (Chapter 2)

With over eighty stunning projection pieces around the world, Warrener is a master of this art form, enriching attractive buildings with modern methods. After his installation at Lumiere London in 2016 – one of the most popular displays that year – Warrener lit up Westminster Abbey’s Great West Gate by using sculpture and eye-catching kaleidoscope illuminations. His bright colours highlighted the intricacies of the building, merging old London and its beautiful architecture with new London using vivid shades.

Daniel Canogar: Asalto London

Canogar’s projection gave the impression that local residents were slowly climbing one of Westminster City Hall’s walls. The main themes in Canogar’s work are electronic waste, visual excess and the archaeology of new media. This piece represents the overcoming of obstacles in our lives; with the residents slowly climbing up the wall and eventually reaching the top, despite at times losing their grip.

Ron Haselden: Echelle

An international artist working with light, electronics, sound, film and other materials, Haselden provided Londoners with an escape route over the Lumiere London weekend. As though appearing in a dream, his neon pink ladder was a stairway to heaven above St Martin-in-the-Fields.

Collectif Coin: Child Hood

Moving gently in the wind, the glowing balloons making up Child Hood were suspended in Trafalgar Square. Orchestrated with sound, the gentle movement and appearance of slowly illuminating balloons was a comforting nostalgic experience. Exploring surreal and naïve versions of digital technology that constantly surrounds us today, Collectif Coin produce large show stopping works as well as smaller and more intimate pieces.

After this spectacular selection of installations over the Lumiere London weekend, we can only look forward to some more wonderful events happening in Victoria over 2018, before Lumiere London hopefully returns!