We want you to make your own light installation in your home! Inspired by the Lumiere light festival, which takes place across Durham every two years, this competition asks people use their own houses, bedrooms, gardens, bathrooms to make a unique piece of light art, being creative with what you have lying around.
Then all you need to do is:
- Take a photo or video of it
- Email it to SummerintheCity.durham@gmail.com
- Be sure to include your social media details (if you want to be tagged)
- We will post on our Instagram
The deadline is FRIDAY 17 JULY AT MIDNIGHT. Winners will be announced and contacted after this.
Lets make some light!
Top tips from artist Stuart Langley
Colour – light and colour go hand in hand and can really draw people to a piece of light art. RGB LED devices are brilliant at being able to employ the full colour spectrum into a piece of work but equally coloured plastic and film can be used as filters for white light sources providing the light source doesn’t emit too much heat.
Mirrors – clever use of mirrored objects and surfaces can add a sense of magic and intrigue to a piece of light art whilst extending the ambient reach of a light source. Placing a mirror directly next to a light source will have the effect of doubling your light source whilst shining a light onto a collection of moving mirrors (think disco mirror balls) will have an altogether magical effect.
Shadows – whilst light art often focuses on the spread and source of brightness in the dark, playing with shadows can be a really interesting way of creating images and even text in dark spaces. Something as simple as cutting shapes and text from a piece of card and positioning a light behind it can create a simple and effective analog projection. You could even place the design you’ve cut on a window to give it even more of a showcase.
Waste plastic – transparent waste plastic takes on a life of its own when flooded with light, helping to extend the spread of a simple light source whilst often being used by many light artists to emphasise messages of sustainability. A bundle of old plastic bottles, scissors, a hot glue gun and a few hours play could result in a fascinating sculpture that would come to life at night.
Fire – its primal draw links us back to an age where fire was an essential element of life. Whilst safety needs to be a top consideration, no technology can match the life and energy fire brings to an artwork. A simple arrangement of candles can often be more poignant than the most complex of light installations.
