Amazing lights on UNESCO International Day of Light aims for peace

Amazing lights on UNESCO International Day of Light aims for peace

SHORT – SoMe version (2:18 min) 

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VNR  (4:54 min) 

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Brixen/Bressanone, South Türol. Dolomite, Alps. Italy
Producer: Producer Anders Kongshaug
Source: vnr.TV Brixen Water Light Festival.
Date: May 15. 2022
Length: 4.54
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STORY

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On Monday May 16 and until Tuesday morning (cet) it is UNESCO’s official international Day of Light.
The aim is to celebrate science, art, nature and “Build peace in the minds of men and women”.

Around the world the lights are being celebrated and in the Alps there is for the next week astonishing light works set up in North Italy as a part of Brixen Water Light Festival in South Tyrol, also known as the Dolomites.


Visiting guest and light festival organizer from Portugal, Carole Purnelle explains:
“From the dawn of ages, people have gathered around fire to have light, to have warmth but also to have light, and I think, this is what we like with light.
We are doing interactive light artwork to be in public spaces for the people to be able to gather and be together”.

For the first time spectacular lights have been set up on the bishop´s Cathedral in North Italy and the Decan of Brixen, South Tyroll says: “The light is something that takes us all out of the darkness and gives us hope, gives us joy”.

The light art installations are contributing in various ways.

Massimo Uberti built a bridge to a Christian tradition.
Romain Tardy illustrates nature’s lightning and sound.

​French Laurent Brun and Helen Eastwood, as well as Chinese technician Xia Tian want you to
“Close your eyes, make a wish”.
Light artist Laurent Brun explains: “We wanted to make that special moment, when you wish to have your dream come true. So you focus on yourself, close your eyes, you think and dream deeply of what you really want”

The visitor then blows and makes 15 coloured spheres light up in various colors according to how much you wish and the way you blow. 

Russian artist Leonid Tishkov was allowed to exhibit ‘Private Moon’, because it is about a man who fell in love with the Moon. Immersed in a dream, crossing the borderline between the real world and a fairytale world, as described in his text about the art piece.


Two international artists from the US are also contributing to the UN International Day of Lights: James Turrell, famous for lighting up big spaces in nature. His seductive “Circular Glass”, which invites the viewer into a meditative experience exploring slowly changing lights and colors.
Keith Sonnier also from US exhite “Expanded Willow Blatt” – celebrating the nature of Louisiana.

Portuguese artists Ocubo has set up Floating Stars, that is, candle lights floating in a basin projected on buildings around, becoming a metaphor for the stars in the sky, and we all are connected to each other as part of the universe.

Nature is also dependent on lights and world leading 3D light artist Spectaculaires has made Baobabs, that are memorable trees that can be found mainly in the African continent. Baobab trees are real “water towers”, intended to survive in regions of high heat.

What is light for you?
“For me, light is waking up in the morning”, says Sarah Alfreider, tour operator on 32 from South Tyrol. “Opening the windows and seeing the sun going up behind the Dolomites”. For psychology student Kathy Spitzis light is“…hopefulness. It’s life, it’s feeling alive and it is accompanying me through the day”. 

For meditation teacher Kurt Shoulder, “light is close to your source. So if you sit in meditation, you start to see light. And then, you know, you’re heading in the right direction”. 

One of the most amazing light art works is “Sounds of the River” by Finnish artist Kari Kola. 750 meter of 2.460 feet long light installlations and the longest ever made in The Alps. The lights are very slowly changing colors and transforming the whole area.
The goal of the artist is to create abstract, painting-images, to reflect the diversity of the site.
“So it’s a trip also of your own mind”, says Kari Kola standing in the gorge and adds, “you can walk through, but if you stay still, you will get the full experience”.

The UNESCO International Day of Light is a global initiative that provides a platform for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in art, science, communications energy and more. May 16 was the Day the laser was successfully operated for the first time by physicist and engineer, Theodore Maiman.

Brixen Water Light Festival takes place in May every year and always contributes with special works as part of the program celebrating the International Day of Light.

END

SHOT

  1. DRONE OF LIGHT WORK ON OLD RUINS “Images” Kari Kola, Finland
  2. DRONE OF LIGHT WORK ON OLD RUINS “Senses and spaces” Vincenzo Marsiglia, Italy
  3. DRONE OF WATER IN CLIFFS:”Sounds of the River” by Kari Kola. Finland.
  4. DRONE “Senses and Spaces” on Fortress Franzensfeste by Vincenzo Marsiglia. Italy.
  5. DRONE OF BLUE TREES: ”Sounds of the River” by Kari Kola
  6. DRONE OF BRIXEN CATHEDRAL by Spectaculaires. France.
  7. VOXPOP Carole Purnelle. Visitor and Light Festival organizer, Portugal
    “So from the dawn of ages, people have gathered around fire to have light, to have warmth but also to have light, and I think this is what we like with light. We are doing interactive light artwork to be in public spaces for the people to be able to gather and be together”
  8. PEOPLE WATCHING WITH MOBILE BRIXEN CATHEDRAL by “Spectaculaires”, France.
  9. SOUNDBITE: Ulrich Fistill, Decan of the Dome of Brixen, Italy:
    “Das Licht ist etwas, das uns alle aus der Finster herausnimmt und uns Hoffnung gibt, Freude gibt”.
    (TRANSLATION English:
    “The light is something that takes us all out of the darkness and gives us hope, gives us joy”. )
  10. TRACK. LIGHT WORK AT FOUNTAIN. “Battistero d’oro” Massimo Uberti. Italy.
  11. TRACK. SHOT OF BLUE LIGHT INSTALLATION THAT FLICKERS ”The Source” by Romain Tardy. France”
  12. TRACK. LIGHT WORK “Close your eyes, make a wish” by French Laurent Brun and Helen Eastwood. Technic Xia Tian, China.
  13. WOMAN AND CHILD BLOWING INTO PIPE AT LIGHTWORK
  14. TRACK. LIGHT WORK AS THE 15 COLOURED SPHERES LIGHTS UP
  15. SOUNDBITE Lauren Brun, LIght artist France:
    “So we wanted to have that special moment, when you are in front of the magic well and you have to throw the coin, to have your dream come true. Or when you are in front of your birthday cake and you have to blow the candle. So you focus on yourself, close your eyes, you think and dream deeply of what you really want, and this is the purpose of this artwork. To make people dream”
  16. WOMAN MAKING A WISH AT LIGHT WORK  “Close your eyes, make a wish” by French Laurent Brun and Helen Eastwood, as well as Chinese technician Xia Tian.
  17. MAN IN BOAT WITH MOON “Private Moon” Leonid Tishkov. Russia.
  18. PAN DOWN FROM CEILING TO LIGHT ORB: “Circular Glass Series” James Turrell, United States
  19. ZOOM IN TOWARDS LIGHT ORB “Circular Glass Series” James Turrell, United States
  20. WOMAN WALKING TOWARDS GREEN LIGHTWORK  “Expanded Willow Blatt” Keith Sonnier, United States
  21. CLOSEUP OF GREEN LIGHTWORK “Expanded Willow Blatt” Keith Sonnier, United States
  22. PROJECTION ON WALL OF CANDLES IN WATER “Floating Stars” OCUBO, Portugal
  23. CLOSE UP OF HAND PUTTING CANDLE IN WATER “Floating Stars” OCUBO, Portugal
  24. TWO PEOPLE PUTTING CANDLES IN WATER, WITH PROJECTION ON WALL “Floating Stars” OCUBO, Portugal
  25. TRACKING SHOT OF LIGHT PROJECTION ON BUILDING: “Baobab Trees” Spectaculaires, Benoît Quero & Les Allumeurs d’Images, France
  26. TOTAL OF LIGHT PROJECTION ON BUILDING “Baobab Trees” Spectaculaires, Benoît Quero & Les Allumeurs d’Images, France
  27. VOXPOP Sarah Alfreider. Tour Operator. Brixen. 32 years.
    “For me, light is waking up in the morning. Opening the windows and seeing the sun going up behind the dolomites”
  28. VOXPOP Kathy Spitz, Psychology student. Brixen. 28 years
    “I think light is hopefulness. It´s life, its feeling alive and its accompanying me through the day. When there is light outside, when there is sun outside it makes things easier, and more lightfull”
  29. VOXPOP Kurt Shoulder, Meditation teacher. Germany. 52
    “Light is close to your source. So if you sit in meditation, you know, eventually if you are patient enough, you start to see light. And then, you know, you’re heading in the right direction. And you keep relaxing. Relaxing. And eventually you let the light take you. And then you melt in the light. And that’s meditation”.
  30. TOTAL OF WATER IN CLIFFS WITH LIGHT  ”Sounds of the River” by Kari Kola. Finland
  31. CLOSE UP OF WATER IN CLIFFS  ”Sounds of the River” by Kari Kola. Finland
  32. SOUNDBITE  Kari Kola. Light-artist. Finland.
    “Well, I hope that on this project, I hope that they focus on the surroundings. And also I think that they will go inside their own minds because of the sound, you cannot hear much talking, much anything else than the water in some places. So it’s a trip also your own mind So I hope that they find presence.”
  33. PERSON WALKS TOWARDS CLIFFS  ”Sounds of the River” by Kari Kola
  34. PERSON WALKING INSIDE THE CAVES WITH LIGHT  ”Sounds of the River” by Kari Kola
  35. PAN DOWN OF CLIFFS AND WATER  ”Sounds of the River” by Kari Kola
  36. PAN UP INSIDE CAVES  ”Sounds of the River” by Kari Kola
  37. DRONE OUTSIDE CLIFFS ”Sounds of the River” by Kari Kola

END

Bonus:

French and Italian soundbites:

 

FRENCH SOUNDBITE:

Lauren Brun, Light artist France:

VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/vnrtv/review/710076437/92c3bb5903
Wetransfer link: https://we.tl/t-rskhY8AFQR
LENGTH: 00.42

SOUNDBITE Lauren Brun, LIght artist France:

“L’idée de cette installation c’este de permettre aux gens de croire en leurs rêves. La première étape pour avoir son rêve, voir son rêve se réaliser, c’est d’y croire profondément. Donc l’idée c’était de se concentrer et de se mettre face à l’installation comme un enfant face à la bougie du gâteau d’anniversaire, fermer les yeux, d’y croire profondément, de souffler la bougie et de propager son rêve.

On se met face à l’installation, on se concentre sur son rêve, et on souffle son veut comme on souffle la bougie d’un gâteau d’anniversaire, et plus on va y croire, plus on a de chance que ça se réalise.”

(TRANSLATION ENGLISH :

(The idea of this installation is to allow people to believe in their dreams. The first step to having your dream, to seeing your dream come true, is to believe in it deeply. So the idea is to concentrate and face the installation like a child faces the birthday cake candle, close your eyes, believe deeply in it, blow out the candle and spread your wish.

You face the installation, you focus on your dream, and you blow out your wish like you blow out the candle on a birthday cake, and the more you believe in it, the more likely it will come true.”)

–

ITALIAN SOUNDBITE
Valentina. Kinesiologist. Tourist. Italy
VIDEO: https://vimeo.com/vnrtv/review/710283113/a9157aa0c6
Wetransfer link: https://we.tl/t-ZVZvBXQLwH
Length: 12 sec
SOUNDBITE Valentina. Kinesiologist. Tourist. Italy:
“È dare vita, è questa la luce per me. È un vantaggio perché senza la luce c’è il buio, le tenebre.”

(TRANSLATION ENGLISH :

It is giving life, that is the light for me. It is an advantage because without light there is darkness)
–

CHINESE SOUNDBITE:
Xia Tian, Artist:
https://vimeo.com/vnrtv/review/710311842/b3ffdc2b49


END

Links:

International Day of Lights:
https://www.lightday.org/events

Art light works in Brixen:
https://www.brixen.org/en/water-light-festival/installations