Second edition of the light trail
September 25–October 11, 2014
Opening: September 25, 6pm
Public spaces in Hamm, Germany
Hours: Thursday–Saturday 4pm–midnight
Info pavilion
Heinrich-Reinköster-Straße 6
59065 Hamm
Germany
The new light art concept URBAN LIGHTS RUHR, initiated by Urbane Künste Ruhr, invites international artists to play with artificial light in urban spaces of the cultural metropolis Ruhr. Starting September 25, five international artists and groups of artists transform the city of Hamm into an urban light trail in the second edition of URBAN LIGHTS RUHR since 2013. LAb[au], Plastique Fantastique, Sans façon, RaumZeitPiraten and Jun Yang realize ten art installations in the city centre that use different forms, materials and contents to deal with the subject of light art and light design in urban space. In the context of URBAN LIGHTS RUHR in 2013, a condemned residential tower in Bergkamen was turned into a spectacular work of light art.
Katja Aßmann, artistic director of Urbane Künste Ruhr: “Light art is of great importance in Hamm and the region. URBAN LIGHTS RUHR emphasizes this significance by other projects such as Hellweg ein Lichtweg (Hellweg, a Lightpath). As in many projects of Urbane Künste Ruhr, residents and visitors can enter in direct contact with the works of art and make their own experiences. It is with their participation only that the installations are able to create a successful platform for communication and exchange.”
The works in detail:
Jun Yang: REVOLUTIONS
The work REVOLUTIONS describes the typical characteristics of revolutionary movements. Visitors are able to engage actively in a shadow play and become part of the work of art. The walk-in installation consists of a continuous animation of a revolutionary process that is projected onto a surface. Between projection surface and projector there is a space that can hold approximately ten visitors. This space is illuminated by fluorescent tubes set in the rear wall and an installed camera films everybody entering the room and projects his image onto the projection surface. Visitors to the installation can thus participate in the animated revolution themselves or just watch the shadow theatre.
LAb[au]: Binary Waves
The installation consists of 40 rotating illuminated panels that interact with their environment, which has an impact on their rotation and illumination. Electromagnetic and infrastructural effects are registered by sensors and shown on the panels in red or white light. The panels have a black reflecting side and a dull white one. The positioning right next to the water aims to highlight and improve the closer link between city centre and the water, the objective of the project Hamm ans Wasser.
plastique fantastique: THE SOUND OF LIGHT
The installation THE SOUND OF LIGHT consist of several walk-in inflatable elements. The elongated archway of the music pavilion in Hamm is filled with a long, inflatable walk-in structure THE SOUND OF LIGHT. Inside, the sunlight entering the sculpture is transformed into sound.
plastique fantastique: Rettungsring (swim ring)
A ring-shaped inflatable sculpture Rettungsring lies in Nordringpark, half of it ashore and half of it in the water. The installation cannot be entered.
plastique fantastique:Aeropolis
Aeropolis is a large inflatable bubble lying on the green space beside the bank of the Datteln-Hamm-Canal. The installation can be entered and used as a venue for up to 99 visitors.
plastique fantastique: Supertunnel
The new walk-in sculpture in the form of an inflatable half-pipe lit from inside will conduct through the pedestrian and cyclist underpass. It protrudes from the tunnel on both sides so that cyclists and pedestrians notice the installation before entering the tunnel and the passage is not obstructed.
RaumZeitPiraten: CycloCopters
CycloCopters are vehicles constructed for urban interventions by RaumZeitPiraten. Mobile optoacoustic systems that can be used to perform at public venues and to redesign them, independent of external power supplies. On night tours in the city, finds such as plant parts, water samples or waste are collected, placed in the different analogue projection devices of the CycloCopters and projected onto public surfaces such as facades of houses, parking cars, billboards, road surfaces. The apparatuses and superstructures on the modified cargo bikes are kinetic light installations that can be controlled by microphones and acoustic sensors. Thus, ambient noise and all sound generators present at the respective venues (e.g. people, animals, traffic noise, water) have an impact on the action and each place contributes individually to the realization. All pedestrians and cyclists are invited to take part in the round tour.
Sans façon: Pantone Perfect
Pantone Perfect shows the changes in the colour of the sky at hourly intervals. Based on the Cyanometer by Horace-Bénédict de Saussure, an automated installation mixes the respective shades of blue with colour pigments as used in the Indian Holi festival and throws them on the facade of the high-rise shelter. This creates an unusual indicator of the hour on the facade of the building, demonstrating the continuous change in the colour of the sky and making a performance of it.
Sans façon: Sunset Sunrise
The installation Sunset Sunrise shows the constant, simultaneous sunrise and sunset in cities around the world. It illustrates how the daily routine is adapted to the time shift and the course of the sun. Two single-line displays, as known from airports, will simultaneously show the names of the cities where the sun rises and those where the sun sets at the same moment.
Sans façon: Limelight
Limelight consists of two theatre spotlights installed at the existing streetlights in public space. Towards the evening, when the streetlight comes on, the floodlights form a spot on the ground, offering passersby the opportunity of giving a special performance. The interactive installation is freely accessible to anyone.
Light art in Hamm
Light art is an important part of Hamm and has a long tradition. The city participates in the Licht(Kunst) Region Europas Hellweg ein Lichtweg. The project Brücken und Licht (Bridges and Light) is realized in this context, an artistic presentation of bridges in the city. The objective is to disassociate them from being purely functional traffic infrastructures and to literally put them in their true light.
Urbane Künste Ruhr
Urbane Künste Ruhr is the art organisation in the cultural metropolis Ruhr. The unique urban landscape of the Ruhr is taken as a basis for looking for the essentials of urbanity together with artists, networks and cultural institutions. Under the artistic direction of Katja Aßmann, Urbane Künste Ruhr develop and realize projects that redefine the concept of “art in public space” as dramatic urban design—always on site and together with the people who live here. Urbane Künste Ruhr dares to take a new perspective of the Ruhr area, the term city per se and the possibilities of art.
Guided curators’ tour
September 26, 7pm
Info pavilion
Heinrich-Reinköster-Straße 6
59065 Hamm
URBAN LIGHTS RUHR is realized by Urbane Künste Ruhr in cooperation with the city of Hamm.
Media partner: www.deconarch.com
