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Design

Giant Port Cranes Take Center Stage In Massive Light Show

Lighting expert Dean Skira took control of a group of harbor cranes in Pula, Croatia to create this amazing visual spectacle.

If you’ve ever visited a port city, chances are you’re familiar with those giant harbor cranes that load cargo on and off container ships. You’ve probably even mused, while driving by these odd towers, on what kinds of animals they most resemble, or how easy it would be to sneak past port security and hop behind the control panel of one for a quick joy ride. (Joy lift? Joy load?)

While legal ramifications of the latter curiosity probably outweigh whatever thrill pirating industrial equipment might bring you, you’re not the only one with such flights of the imagination. In fact, earlier this month, Hungarian lighting expert Dean Skira took control of a group of harbor cranes in Pula, Croatia, for this year’s Visualia Festival. But instead of simply using the cranes for their main function, he cast them as characters for a stunning sound and light show.

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Skira worked with lighting technicians and crew at Pula’s Uljanik Port to help coordinate the light show, which ran on May 4th. According to Domus, the show relied on “A sophisticated remote control system of lighting and scenography,” which had the capacity of illuminating the port with more than 16,000 different colors.

Though it's probably a less instantly-gratifying feat than picking up random, giant objects and chucking them into the ocean, but at least it looks pretty.

Check out the full performance below:

For more of Dean Skira’s work, check out his website. All photos courtesy Dean Skira.

h/t Domus

Follow Johnny Magdaleno on Twitter: @johnny_mgdlno

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