Colour is my daylong obsession, joy, and torment.
- Monet
Now regarded as one of the region’s most popular events, the festival of light, organised by charity Cambridge Live, attracts thousands to Cambridge each winter to see the dazzling light installations over the course ofsix exceptional evenings and take part in a host of events. The festival offers the public a truly unique winter spectacle as ephemeral light art designs play with the richness and diversity of the urban landscape, transforming everyday buildings and spaces into something magical for a few short hours.
Managing Director of Cambridge Live Steve Bagnall said: ‘This festival is something that all of us at Cambridge Live are very proud to be a part of it. It is a spectacular event, bathing some of the historic buildings of our beautiful city in light. It allows people to experience the city in a whole new way with plenty of opportunities for everyone to explore light and colour by taking part in our programme of workshops and events.’
With ‘Colour’ as this year’s central theme, Artistic Director, Alessandra Caggiano has invited British art historian and BAFTA-nominated broadcaster Dr James Fox to be 2018’s Guest Curator. A familiar and popular figure presenting arts programmes on BBC, CNN and Sky Arts, Dr James Fox is a Fellow of Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge and has published widely on many aspects of modern art.
Colour illuminates our world. Humans can see millions of different hues, and our lives would not be the same without them. Colour helps us understand our environment, communicate our emotions, and create meaning. It’s a powerful tool for artists and designers. But to see colour, there needs to be light.
Dr James Fox said: ‘I’ve been dazzled and delighted by e-Luminate Cambridge since it started in 2013. It floods Cambridge with light at a dark time of the year, and makes us see this beautiful city with fresh eyes. I am therefore delighted to be working with Alessandra in curating the 2018 Festival. Together we will explore a subject very close to my heart: colour. We’ll explore the complex relationship between light and colour from various perspectives, combining art, science, and technology.’
Other events to look out for during the six-day city festival include talks, workshops, experimental Wine Tasting sessions and the return of the popular Trail of Light walks through Cambridge Colleges and the Glow Games in collaboration with the Sports Team at Cambridge City Council.
e-Luminate Cambridge at a glance:
Key installations include:
Senate House
‘I see’
The 21st century communicates with the 13th on the front of Cambridge’s magisterial Senate House, as the philosophical ideas of medieval luminary, Robert Grosseteste inspire a succession of optical illusions based on shape and colour projections created by leading British artist, Ross Ashton.
Sponsor: Panasonic, Pearce Hire
Cambridge Guildhall
‘The Colour of Science’
The Guildhall façade will be the focal point of e-Luminate Cambridge’s opening night launch, as the Mayor opens the Festival, switching on the building’s LGBT themed design created by the Lumineer Studio with Led Linear and Architainment products and in partnership with the Encompass Network.
Sponsors: Lumineer Studio, Architainment Lighting
King’s College Chapel
‘Hammersmith Poem (Cambridge Poem) 2017’
Situated in front of Cambridge’s best known landmark, King’s College Chapel, British conceptual artist Robert Montgomery uses laser cut aluminium and LED light to bring a poetic voice to the discourse of text, creating a large scale illuminated poem. This light work translates a text from Robert Montgomery's ‘Hammersmith Poem’ series, into a stark monolith recalling the form of minimalist undercut with a passionate statement about the importance of free education.
Fitzwilliam Museum
‘Night at the Museum’
Ross Ashton maps onto the Fitzwilliam building a series of stunning images – pictures of a selection of colourful artefacts taken from museums across the city.
Sponsors: Panasonic and Fitzwilliam Museum
Trinity Hall
‘Women writing History’
This is a lighting piece that sets an invitation to participate in an imaginative exercise about women’s role on writing the past. This installation is created by BDP to mark the 40th anniversary since the admission of female students and Fellows to Trinity Hall, and it is a collaboration with Royston based Tryka L.E.D., Pharos lighting control solutions and Design Intent International.
Sponsor: Trinity Hall, BDP
Other e-Luminate Festival events…
e-Luminate Cambridge Opening Ceremony - Friday 9 Feb, from 6pm
Not to be missed, the traditional switch on of the Guildhall light installation in Market Square takes place on the evening of Friday the 9th February from 6 pm onwards. The Mayor of Cambridge will officially switch on the lights and declare the Festival open around 7 pm. For more information check out the website (www.eluminatecambridge.co.uk) and social media.
‘It’s What we do’ by Rose Bruford College Students
Inspired by the theme of colour, the students at the Rose Bruford College in Kent will use their theatre and performance skills to produce a temporary installation which will be exhibited in the market square at the Festival launch on Friday 9th.
Glow Games – Monday 12 Feb
It’s fun and it’s free! Glow Games at the Guildhall is multi-sports in the dark with UV lighting including badminton, table tennis, netball, basketball, volleyball and new for this year, glow fitness.
Wine Tasting at Hotel du Vin - Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 Feb
This popular event returns, this time with three sessions hosted by Hotel du Vin during the Festival weekend. Taste and learn about different wines and the fascinating effect different light has on the palate.
Sponsor: Pulsar and Hotel du Vin
Trail of Light through Colleges Chapels - Saturday 10 & Mon 12 Feb
A unique way to experience the architecture of the Cambridge college chapels and churches’ like never before. The event consists of walks through the city, visiting different venues each of the dates available and listening to short choir concerts at each stop. Participants will be given their own LED lights transforming to create a beautiful moving light parade effect.
Light Painting Workshop - Sunday 11 Feb
Taking place in the Guildhall Main Hall, photographer Lucinda Price will help participants to get creative using their camera and create beautiful light painting compositions.
Talks
Ordered Universe Talks with Giles Gasper – Friday 9 Feb
An opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of the Ordered Universe Project. A fusion of scientists and medieval specialists explore the wonderful world of medieval polymath Robert Grosseteste (c.1170 – 1253). Later bishop of Lincoln, he composed a famed series of works on natural phenomena: sound, the nature of place, time and its calculation, and above all, light.
This talk, in the Guildhall Small Hall, presents ideas and research and will feature an interactive exhibition and poster display.
Colour Talk led by Festival Guest Curator, Dr James Fox – Saturday 10 Feb
In what promises to be a Festival highlight, hosted by Cambridge Union and led by Dr James Fox, an array of academics will talk about their own unique area of research and its own particular relation to the theme of ‘colour’. An amazing opportunity to unearth some of the fascinating discoveries being made behind the scenes.
For full details of all e-Luminate Festival event dates and tickets go to www.cambridgelivetrust.co.uk/e-luminate