“Light art as a cybernetic mannerism can serve the need of the modern Homo Ludens to be entertained, as it can, by employing orchestrated effects achieved with fascinating devices, reveal the monumental scene of mechanical folklore, the mystery of the twentieth century. But this art can also – so it seems to us – reflect the cosmic substance through rhythms of light and sound, through harmonies of shapes and proportion”.
Visionary, one might say, were these thoughts of Oto Bihalji Merin, the Serbian and Yugoslavian writer, art critic and artist. From the clavecin oculaire and magic lantern, the color music and rhythmic light, lumino kinetic sculptures, mobiles and ambiences which introduced space, motion, interaction, time, to the concept of artwork; To programmed, immersive light-sound installations, spatial interventions, light projections and spectacles which follow the world from the analogue into the digital; Have these artistic feats became the lighting sensations incorporated in the entertainment industry, ephemeral events and tourist attractions, or do they still aspire to experimentation and synesthesia, the activation and transformation of perception and experience?
IMAGINE LIGHT
To escape the ordinary thematic framework, the Belgrade of Light’s programme, this year from 4th to 9th February, will be dealing purely with imagination, comprehension and rethinking.
Five artists, art groups and collectives will transform the Grad gallery (Kulturni Centar Grad) by using dynamic and performative gestures, spatial experiments, motion, light and sound. Every night over the course of the six-day event, a new vision and completely different experience will be generated. How do we imagine the light interventions and illumination in our city, what we can do differently and on what this depends? These questions we will consider with students, artists, engineers, architects and all interested citizens together on Light walk + discussion led by the Belgrade Lighting Detectives. To convey their imaginary worlds into our reality we will ask the youngest too. Through creative working with the preschool and school children, the workshop Shimmering we will continue to expand the reality beyond the borders of the visible.
Visionary, one might say, were these thoughts of Oto Bihalji Merin, the Serbian and Yugoslavian writer, art critic and artist. From the clavecin oculaire and magic lantern, the color music and rhythmic light, lumino kinetic sculptures, mobiles and ambiences which introduced space, motion, interaction, time, to the concept of artwork; To programmed, immersive light-sound installations, spatial interventions, light projections and spectacles which follow the world from the analogue into the digital; Have these artistic feats became the lighting sensations incorporated in the entertainment industry, ephemeral events and tourist attractions, or do they still aspire to experimentation and synesthesia, the activation and transformation of perception and experience?
IMAGINE LIGHT
To escape the ordinary thematic framework, the Belgrade of Light’s programme, this year from 4th to 9th February, will be dealing purely with imagination, comprehension and rethinking.
Five artists, art groups and collectives will transform the Grad gallery (Kulturni Centar Grad) by using dynamic and performative gestures, spatial experiments, motion, light and sound. Every night over the course of the six-day event, a new vision and completely different experience will be generated. How do we imagine the light interventions and illumination in our city, what we can do differently and on what this depends? These questions we will consider with students, artists, engineers, architects and all interested citizens together on Light walk + discussion led by the Belgrade Lighting Detectives. To convey their imaginary worlds into our reality we will ask the youngest too. Through creative working with the preschool and school children, the workshop Shimmering we will continue to expand the reality beyond the borders of the visible.
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Belgrade of Light is a non-profit event dedicated to the development and promotion of the culture of light. Ever since its founding in 2008, the goal of the event has been to assemble in Belgrade and in Serbia prominent international and local individuals and groups and to open an inspiring new chapter in approaching light – whether it concerns an artistic expression and design, energy saving or simply identity of a city and visions of a brighter future. By organizing exhibitions and art interventions in urban areas, educational workshops, lectures and programs for children and youth, Belgrade of Light has built a reputation of an event that, by employing light technologies, develops authentic creative and experimental practices and, through its program content, establishes platforms for an open debates on lighting and light.
So far, Belgrade of Light has had the opportunity to host numerous experts in the fields of architectural lighting design, science and art. They include people from Belgrade and Serbia but also those from many other cities and countries - Japan, Singapore, USA, Germany, Sweden, France, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Italy, Switzerland. International connections have also been established in cooperation with educational institutions, which brought student participants from Japan, China, Chile, Greece, Tunisia, India, Brazil and Romania, to our experimental workshops. Through presentations and exchange of experiences Belgrade of Light has forged close relations with organizers of prominent European light festivals, particularly with the Lighting Guerrilla Festival from Ljubljana and light festivals from Lyon, Tallinn and Eindhoven.
So far, Belgrade of Light has had the opportunity to host numerous experts in the fields of architectural lighting design, science and art. They include people from Belgrade and Serbia but also those from many other cities and countries - Japan, Singapore, USA, Germany, Sweden, France, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Italy, Switzerland. International connections have also been established in cooperation with educational institutions, which brought student participants from Japan, China, Chile, Greece, Tunisia, India, Brazil and Romania, to our experimental workshops. Through presentations and exchange of experiences Belgrade of Light has forged close relations with organizers of prominent European light festivals, particularly with the Lighting Guerrilla Festival from Ljubljana and light festivals from Lyon, Tallinn and Eindhoven.
