by llum bcn lights up the streets and squares of Barcelona
Llum BCN Light arts festivalone of the most important events in BarcelonaThe city’s cultural calendar gathers tens of thousands of city residents in streets and squares around the works of creators in every field, ranging from contemporary art to architecture and from technology to design lighting. With his sponsorship Integrated Systems Europe (ISE)the 2023 edition of the public event transformed the Spanish city into an urban exploration laboratory, including works by Kimchi and Chips and Spy.
(above) Llum BCN’s 2023 edition turned the Spanish city into an urban exploration laboratory (Monolith by SpY)
(banner) Another Moon by Kimchi and Chips | image © Christian Bertrand
all images courtesy of ISE unless otherwise noted
Barcelona lights up for three nights every February since 2011. Organized by Barcelona City Council and sponsored by Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), Llum BCN brings everyone to the streets and squares. The 2023 edition brought together two artists who started a dialogue between generations. Born 1924, pioneering Hungarian computer artist Vera Molnar since 2020 he has been “conversing” with a French creator born in 1982 Joanie Lemercier. This conversation is titled Carrés magiques de traits lumineux was expressed in two works presented for the first time at Llum BCN: a large-scale public projection, produced by Lemercier in homage to the principles and ideas in Molnar’s work, and a new projection and laser project jointly created by the two artists, which could be seen in the DHUB lobby.
“Llum is a benchmark festival in Europe of installations made with light. As with the previous 11 editions, this event was 100% commissioned by Barcelona City Hall. says Eva Soria Puig, Director of Innovation, Research and Visual Arts at the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona.
organized by Barcelona City Council and sponsored by ISE, BCN brought everyone outdoors (Another Moon by Kimchi and Chips) | image © Christian Bertrand
Between 03 and 5 February 2023, visitors witnessed enchanting light installations with energy self-sufficient post-carbon urban images such as Another moon from the Korean collective Kimchi and Chips, where lasers powered only by solar energy outlined a “second moon” over Central Park Poblenou. Indoors, at the Disseny Hub Barcelona (DHUB), Abel Korinsky and Orhan “aib” Kavrakoglou is presented Yella giant luminous matrix that traced the orbits of satellites which, at the same time, were crossing the Barcelona sky just a few kilometers above our heads. SpyThe monumental street art is not to be missed as the Kubrick-inspired studio monolith was illuminated in fiery red, projecting a hypnotic visual experience of human disengagement in relation to technology.
Other projects are also included Signs with Ways to play? Arborialis from Architects of Air; Anima by Nick Verstad; Atmospheric Lighthouse from Richard Weigen; Freedom and Light from Chila Kumari Singh Burman; Summary of Collectible coin; We harvest the wind Thijs Biersteker; Glía with Pedro Torres; and Lumineuses compositions with Studio Joanie Lemercier.
projects range from architecture and technology to design lighting (Call out by Abel Korinsky and Orhan “aib” Kavrakoglu) | image © Christian Bertrand
‘call out’ detects satellites in real time
Yell by Abel Korinsky and Orhan “aib” Kavrakoglu aims to provoke reflection on the impact of this commercial invasion of space and the dangers represented by the growing number of these devices, especially when they become space junk. The project detects the satellites in real time as they fly over the local location and converts this information into numerous light patterns divided into five scenes, such as the burst of light that warns of the risk of collision when two satellites cross paths.
“Our work is about satellites, arranged in this grid of LED lights, that respond to five different scenes. For example, when two satellites get very close to each other, small flashes or bursts of light begin to appear. co-creator Orhan “aib” Kavrakoğlu explains.
Call from Abel Korinsky and Orhan “aib” Kavrakoglu | image © Christian Bertrand
The kubrick-inspired “monolith” projects a hypnotic experience
Stanley Kubrick gave modern Western civilization a mystery: the monolith that serves as the guiding thread of his science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey. It is an object of unknown origin and significance that comes into contact with man to cause an evolutionary leap in his cognitive ability. Monolith by artist SpY is a hypnotic visual experience that finds a connection between cinematography and all the screens that surround us on a daily basis. In other words, it is a direct allegory of how people have incorporated these screens into their lives to the extent that they use them as means to build identities and modify realities.
“It is a monolith that invites us to think of Kubrick’s A Space Odyssey. It is an impressive piece that invites the visitor to see the relationship between people and screens on a larger scale. says Oriol Pastor, the project’s digital art curator.
Monolith of SpY
