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A Brilliant Spotlight In London Is Commemorating WWI's 100th Anniversary

Roji Ikeda's "spectra" installation is a shining beacon to honor the start of The Great War.

One century ago, Europe erupted into the armed conflict that would come to be called "The Great War," "The War to End All Wars," and, eventually, World War I. To remember this history-changing event, United Kingdom ritually turns off all its major light sources in an event called LIGHTS OUT and many citizens respond in kind, blackening their cities just as they did to avoid bombing raids throughout both world wars. This year, during the official 100 year anniversary, a candlelight vigil outside London's Westminster Abbey commemorated the dead, accompanied by a shining exception to the city-wide blackout—a column of white light pouring from an exhibition called spectra installed in the Victoria Tower Gardens.

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spectra was created by artist Ryoji Ikeda and presented by Artangel, a group known for producing ebullient public art pieces. The installation consists of a 60 ft. grid containing forty-nine searchlights. Visitors are welcome to walk through the lights and become enveloped in the massive, shining column—all while a unique score by Ikeda emanates around the installation. It's been arranged so that no two visitors will hear the same soundtrack as they wander through the memorial.

The Mayor of London commissioned spectra, but left its existence unannounced before the ceremony, ensuring that it would be a surprise to those participating in LIGHTS OUT. It will remain active only for seven nights between sunset and sunrise, before disappearing from the London horizon. One hundred years ago, Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey infamously said on the eve of WWI, "The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime." We're glad to see that a full century later, his premonition didn't completely materialize.

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Check out more of Ryoji Ikeda's work on his website, Artangels past exhibitions in their archives.

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