Winter light installations 2024
It’s rather cold and very dark outside however, it’s the unspoken rule in the UK that we don’t talk about that. So, arc decided to brighten up the winter evenings with some of the best art installations that London had to offer. Here’s what we discovered…
- Liz West – Fluorescence
British artist, Liz West is known for her work exploring the use of light and blurring the boundaries between sculpture, design and painting to create works that are playful in colour and immersive.
West has created an installation to spread the Christmas joy this winter in a contemporary interpretation of Christmas lights. Standing 10.7m tall in Granary Square, just seven minutes from Kings Cross Station, in elongated tetrahedron resembling a Christmas tree it is covered in her trademark rainbow of chromatic colours. The colours travel in a horizontal diagonal pattern to encourage visitors to move around the sculpture to see the intersecting colours that are powered by UV lights at the base of the structure.
The installation is free for the public to enjoy, so if you’re passing through King’s Cross Station, it’s worth taking a detour to Granary Square. Along the way, you’ll encounter other vibrant Christmas lights to admire, perfect for injecting some festive cheer to your day.
- Lumen Studios x Nonotak – Eclipse
Tucked inside an industrial warehouse near London Bridge lies an extraordinary audio-visual experience created by Nonotak and presented by Lumen Studios. Making its London debut, the exhibition features three stunning installations: Highway, Dual, and Hidden Shadows. Nonotak is an artistic duo consisting of illustrator Noemi Schipfer and architect/musician Takami Nakamoto, based in Paris. They are renowned for transforming light and sound into immersive, dreamlike artistic experiences that blur the boundaries between the senses.
The three installations are separated into rooms within the warehouse and begins with Highway. Here visitors sit comfortably on beanbags, watching waves of light ripple horizontally across an LED screen. The light patterns move at varying speeds, breaking into meticulously arranged fragments accompanied by soothing ambient sounds; this tranquil introduction sets the stage for the sensory progression that follows. The next room intensifies the experience with Dual, where beams of light swing aggressively to pounding, gunshot-like beats, creating a visceral environment reminiscent of Berlin’s techno clubs—minus the hedonism. While visitors are encouraged to explore the space, the initial step off the bench can be intimidating as lights bombard the senses and watching other visitors that cross disappear into the darkness on the other side. Once visitors cross to the other side, they find another bench and a directional arrow guiding them to the final installation. Beyond the curtain lies Hidden Shadows, a cinematic experience akin to Highway. Here, visitors sit and marvel at the interplay of soundscapes and mesmerising visuals. The installation takes viewers on a journey through hypnotic geometric patterns, pulsating strobe lights, and a serene, meditative cosmic experience.
By seamlessly integrating light, sound, and space, Eclipse transcends traditional boundaries, offering audiences a unique opportunity to explore the sensory and conceptual dimensions of modern digital art.
- Anthtony McCall – Solid Light
Tate Modern in London is showcasing Anthony McCall’s immersive art, where the viewer’s movements bring the work to life. Curated by Gregor Muir and Andrew de Brún, beams of light projected through mist from shifting, three-dimensional shapes that the viewer can walk through and explore, creating a unique perspective. Blending sculpture, cinema, drawing, and performance, McCall is known for redefining light art since his Line Describing a Cone in 1973 – which is exhibiting at the show.
Light art wasn’t really a thing until the 1970s with McCall being one of the first to adopt the medium. Initially overlooked, McCall’s early experiments relied on environmental factors like smoke and dust to reveal the solidity of light beams. A failed exhibition in Sweden in 1977 led him to leave the art world for decades, only returning in the 1990s with the advent of haze machines and digital projection, which allowed his sculptures to evolve and flourish.
McCall’s installations, in stark contrast to the flashy selfie-friendly works of Yayoi Kusama, who was recently housed at Tate, or commercialised light shows, are more minimalist and meditative. Visitors are given the freedom to walk around for as long as they like to explore McCall’s four light sculptures. Using beams of light and fog, his art creates illusions of solid forms that feel physical and tangible. Stripped of context, his work celebrates the essence of art itself — light, line, and geometry that offer quiet, introspective experiences amidst the current contemporary immersive trends.
www.tate.org.uk/anthony-mccall
- Lost in Light – Squidsoup
Known as the pioneers of light, sounds and technology, Squidsoup is renowned for its dynamic lights and sound environments. Known for acclaimed projects including collaborations with international artist Four Tet and appearances at Burning Man and Vivid Sydney, the art collective has now created an immersive installation suitable for all the family in Shoreditch, East London. Spanning three stories and 30,000sqft, the exhibition features five distinct installations, including works from sub-brands like Circular Echoes, Infinite, Three Volumes, Sola, and Submergence. The pieces blend immersive lighting and electronic soundscapes to create art that bridges the physical and digital realms. Lost in Light offers a more accessible introduction to light installations where people of all ages can immerse into and offers a great back drop for Instagram photos.
