Public Digital Artworks Help Londoners Beat the Winter Blues

An international roster of artists create more than 30 pieces that light up London's nights.

January 17, 2016, 1:30pm

1.8 London, Janet Echelman, Lumiere London 2016, produced by Artichoke, supported by the Mayor of London. Image © Matthew Andrews. Courtesy of Artichoke

Public art can revitalize spaces and encourage creative expression. And in this connected age, artworks can travel far and wide through social media and blogs. But nothing quite beats seeing a piece in person—especially when that piece might be gone the next day.

As part of a special four-day event, creative company Artichoke brings a series of complex outdoor works to the streets of London. Lumiere London features a roster of international artists that put their spin on local buildings, walkways and plazas.

From since January 14th, Londoners have been encouraged to roam the streets and discover whimsical light pieces and interactive works. The pieces light up each night from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and their locations make it easy for citizens to walk from one piece to the other.

Made up of 30 different works, the festival spans four major areas, including London’s West End and King’s Cross. The idea: to transform the streets into an outdoor gallery and help Londoners beat the winter blues.

binaryWaves, LAb[au], Lumiere London 2016, produced by Artichoke, supported by the Mayor of London. Photo, Will Eckersley.jpg

Artichoke’s Director Helen Marriage tells The Creators Project that the festival began as a one-time event in Durham back in 2009. Due to the success of the first event, Durham invited its creators back every two years. The Mayor of London asked them to bring the same energy and creativiy to the capital.

“From the city’s perspective it is part of the cultural strategy, increasing overseas visitor numbers since tourists say one of the main reasons for visiting the capital is cultural,” Marriage writes. “It’s also a traditionally quieter time of year and an event like this draws visitors to everything else this great world city has to offer.”

The festival features works from Patrice Warrener, TILT, LAB[au], Ron Haselden, Top'là Design/Catherine Garret, FIELD.io, and many more. Marriage explains that she knew some of the artists beforehand — this is the second piece commissioned from Ocubo — while others brought their own ideas.

Amongst the photos documenting the festival, there is a shot of citizens lying on the ground to catch a better view of Janet Echelman’s 100-foot long “1.8 London.” The piece refers to the powerful 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan that shortened that day by 1.8 microseconds. Echelman crafted an image using data from NASA and used it to shape the net.

Fans can interact with the piece using their phones, but this photo captures another layer of exchange: the moment when citizens step out of their routine and stop to enjoy public art.

Aquarium, Benedetto Bufalino & Benoit Deseille, Lumiere London 2016, produced by Artichoke, supported by Mayor of London (c) Matthew Andrews.jpg

Other works take on a more subtle approach to interrupting the everyday. Though not as monumental, Benedetto Bufalino & Benoit Deseille’s “Aquarium” transforms a common London sight. The duo turns a telephone booth into an aquarium filled with exotic fish, adding a whimsical energy to an otherwise static object.

“The festival is really about reclaiming the urban space and returning it to pedestrians for a while,” Marriage writes. “I think people are looking for magic, to experience something that stays with them for ever. There’s something special about seeing places you are so familiar with transformed. It makes you look at the world with new eyes and allows you to re-imagine the world.”

Citizens interested in seeing the works can download a free map or use the festival’s iPhone or Android app.