Illuminated River: Bringing Light Art to London – Artists Leo Villareal and Teemu Määttänen in Conversation
The Illuminated River Foundation and The Finnish Institute in the UK and Ireland host a virtual talk ‘Bringing Light Art to London’ with New York-based artist Leo Villareal and Helsinki-based artist Teemu Määttänen, who both use creative coding and LED technology to ‘paint with light’.
Whilst both artists are exhibiting their work in London – Määttänen’s installation Noste is featured in the Southbank Centre’s Winter Light exhibition and Villareal’s major public art commission, Illuminated River, is lighting up central London’s bridges – the discussion explores the role of light art in bringing beauty, magic and tranquility to urban environments.
Introduced by Sarah Gaventa, Director of the Illuminated River Foundation, and moderated by Johanna Agerman-Ross, Curator of 20th Century Furniture & Design, Design, Architecture and Digital, and Founder of Disegno, the discussion also looks at how computer programming serves as a vital tool in the development of light art, changing the frequency, intensity and patterning of LEDs in a way that responds and adapts to the shifting requirements of public spaces.
