BEHIND THE LIGHTS

As the vibrant city of Leeds gears up for its 20th anniversary of Light Night Leeds from 6pm to 10pm on Thursday 24 October and Friday 25 October, we caught up with Natasha Howes, the Principal Curator for the event, to shine a light on what makes this year particularly special.

This annual event is set to transform the city’s landscape into a magical canvas, showcasing both local and international artistic talent. We gained insight into what makes this year’s celebration bright and beautiful while understanding more about the installation “Monad”, created by Norwegian artist, Anastasia Isachsen. This stunning piece is projected onto a mist of water at Leeds Dock. This breathtaking piece invites reflection on the elements of life and will surely captivate visitors as part of this year’s celebrations.

Read on to discover more about what to expect from this year’s celebration.

Q. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Light Night Leeds – what makes this year particularly special, and why should people come along?

A. Light Night Leeds brings a programme of incredible, large-scale projections, live street theatre and interactive installations to some of the city’s most recognisable buildings and locations. We have 50 amazing artworks spread across the city by international and national artists.

Q. How has Light Night Leeds evolved over the past 20 years?

A. It started life in 2005 inspired by Nuit Blanche (White Night) in France where cultural institutions across any city opened at night. The organisers of Light Night Leeds originally wanted to show hidden parts of Leeds and showcase artists based in the city. As it became more popular, it changed to show larger installations and have a more international dimension whilst still working with local cultural organisations. Now we attract 200,000 people and the footprint of the festival has grown so it is very different from the first iteration.

Q. How does the event cater to families and children? 

A. All our artworks are suitable for all ages. We have interactive pieces as well as activities specially designed for children. A particularly fun work is MAPP by Dutch artists AlexP in St John the Evangelist Church Gardens where you strike a pose, be scanned and your silhouette will appear against a colourful projected background. 

Q. Is there a light installation in the event that holds a special meaning for you, and why?

A. I am excited to see The BookBinder by artists Illuminos which is a brand new commission inspired by the collection of the British Library. A mysterious figure of The BookBinder conjurs animals, birds, boats and hot air balloons from the pages of books which then come to life. This will be projected at scale onto the Queens Hotel.

Q. Are there any specific installations that visitors should keep an eye out for this year?

A. Parallels by Architecture Social Club is outside The Tetley and is an immersive installation featuring thousands of multi-coloured laser beams pulsing and flickering overhead to a mesmerising electronic soundscape. Another one is Globoscope by French artists Collectif Coin – it’s a mesmerising installation of 200 spheres pulsing with light in the gardens at The Junction.

There are also brilliant works at our partner venues Leeds Art Gallery, University of Leeds, Opera North and Leeds City Museum to name a few.

Q. How are the artists selected to showcase their work at this exciting event?

A. We spend many months researching the best artists and artworks which will respond to the architecture and histories of the city and will delight our visitors.

Q. I’ve heard there will be live street performances – could you tell us more about them?

A. Briggate will be alive with activity including drumming from the incredible spark and mobile performances of Ghost Caribou and alien stilt walking Lumens and in Victoria Gardens, there will be Day of the Dead inspired skeletons. The bones will be roaming and in SOYO Square, performances by Leeds Playhouse’s Youth Theatre, Leeds City College and Leeds Conservatoire will be sited underneath a sound sensitive suspended sculpture Valkyrie. 

Q. What do you hope visitors will take away from this year’s event?

A. We want people to have a great evening out with their families and friends and discover the magic and wonder of light art. I also want people to feel that sense of civic pride in their city and the community coming together.

Q. What sets digital art installations apart from other forms of art?

A. Light art is a truly democratic medium. It can be enjoyed by everyone and you don’t need any special knowledge to engage with it. It is visually spectacular and colourful, comes with a soundtrack and is often interactive so it appeals to many senses. When I tell people where I work, every person I meet tells me how much they LOVE Light Night which shows it is a very popular artform.

Light Night Leeds is also free, and that is really important. In these difficult financial times, it means that people can bring their whole families for a great night out, for the cost of a bus ticket. We couldn’t do this without the support of our funders the Arts Council England, Leeds City Council and our generous sponsors and for that we are incredibly grateful.

Q. In what ways do you think Light Night Leeds helps to showcase the city’s cultural and artistic identity to both locals and visitors?

A. Light Night Leeds really celebrates the city, with artworks across the length and breadth of the city centre from the Dock in the east, to the Junction in the west and up to the University in the north. There are works which speak to the city, either in terms of responding to the landscape of the built environment or to the histories and context of our city. I love the fact that all the cultural institutions in the city take part, and visitors have a chance to explore venues after dark.

One piece which is steeped in the history of the city is Out of the Aire by Projection Studio. It celebrates Leeds as a centre of innovation, engineering, sports and culture and is projected at monumental scale onto the Civic Hall. It returns from its 2017 presentation at Light Night but with updated content to bring it bang up to date. The soundtrack is by Leeds singers and bands.

Q. Could you share some details about “Monad,” which will be projected onto the water at Leeds Dock?

A. This work is by Norwegian artist, Anastasia Isachsen who is projecting imagery onto a mist of water. Monad unites the elements of life: fire, air, water and earth and presents a circle as a symbol of time, the perpetual motion of life. This stunning and poetic artwork invites us to reflect on birth, life, death and rebirth – the giant rhythm of the universe. This will be a highlight of Light Night Leeds.

Q. Are there any other installations at Leeds Dock that visitors can expect to be dazzled by?

A. There will be a 5-metre fire-breathing dragon outside the Royal Armouries. This is a performance inspired by carnival from Trinidad and Tobago and is accompanied by high energy percussion and special fire effects.

For those interested in the history of our city, SLIDESHOW presents a stunning array of vintage photographs from the 1970s to the 1990s accompanied by audio of Leeds’ sounds past and present. 

Q. If you could describe “Monad” in three words, what would they be?

A. Breathtaking, awe-inspiring and unforgettable.

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