I went to Durham’s Lumiere light festival 2011 (http://www.lumieredurham.co.uk/) last night which us on until Sunday and I must say it was the best large outdoor art installation I’ve been to.
Highlights for me were:
Behind the cathedral – Spirit by Compagnie Carabosse, Number 29 here: http://www.lumieredurham.co.uk/programme/installations/: The large scale installation with fires in the trees, fire fountains, fireballs and a kind of Victorian jet engine, were an amazing vision of hell, with a great live doom laden soundtrack. A rarity in the UK as you could get as close as you liked to the fires. Extremely atmospheric and best of the installations.
In the entrance to the Gates shopping centre – Liquid Space by Daan Roosegaarde, Number 22: A spectacular alien tripod probe that reacts when people stand within it, very robotic/organic which gave you a feeling that it was genuinely curious about you.
Projected onto side of the passport office and viewed from Milburngate bridge – Helvetictoc by Tobie Langel, Number 17: A clock which gives you the approximate time in words e.g. “It’s nearly twenty past ten”
Other highlights were the giant snow globe (Number 18, by Jacques Rival) around the statue of Charles Vane (3rd Marquess of Londonderry) in the market place proclaiming “I love Durham” and the mystical flying men (Les Voyageurs by Cedric Le Borgne, Number 20) on the Bailey, some sitting on the roofs of the colleges.
Also, the Lumiere Hub near the Gala theatre is selling merchandise and giving out info and free tea and coffee.
On from 6.30pm to 11pm until Sunday, Get down there ASAP!
Note: blog main image taken at Lumiere by @aitch_face
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