|
Windsor Festival "River of Light" Spectacular
|
The 2008 Windsor Festival Light-up Windsor project will culminate on Saturday evening, 8 November with a spectacular River of Light show when some 250 lun’art light spheres will be released on the Thames as part of a local schools outreach project.
Everyone is invited to come along to the launch at 5.30pm when the spheres will be dropped into the water of the River Thames. Spectacular effects will be created when the different coloured lights are scattered across the water, as the spheres travel and float in different directions. The River of Light follows the creation of a stunning Light Art Walking Trail, which led from the town centre to the river, lighting up familiar sights in an amazing, new and creative way. Light-up Windsor and the River of light were commissioned from light artist Laurent Louyer, founder of Creatmosphere (www.creatmosphere.com), as part of South East England’s celebrations to mark the launch of the Cultural Olympiad in September. Lun’art light spheres can be up to 800mm in diameter and are fitted with different coloured LED light sources to make them glow. A unique display of light patterns will be created as they come together, and drift apart, while working their way downstream to a floating barrier where they will be collected from around 6.00pm. After the River of Light event all are welcome to come along to Thames Side, Windsor and claim a free light sphere to take home. Over fifty of the light spheres have been decorated by children from three local schools as part of a community arts project including Arbour Vale, Slough; Dorney Reach, South Bucks and the Dedworth Middle School, Windsor. The youngsters worked with artist Laurent Louyer to personalise the balloons at workshops during October. Sessions also involved experimentation with different light sources and how, through photography, these light sources are recorded. Describing the project, Martin Denny, Windsor Festival director said; “Light-up Windsor is a significant development for the Festival being its first event of this kind in an outdoor environment and enabling us to reach new audiences”. “To see the full effect of the project and its finale on 8 November, its best to take the Light Art Trail walking route from Windsor town centre down through Alexandra Gardens to the Thames. From here the ideal viewing points for the River of Light will be alongside the river in Barry Avenue or on the Windsor and Eton pedestrian bridge,” continued Mr Denny. The Light Art Trail is illuminated each evening between now and 8 November. Light-up Windsor is a project commissioned by Windsor Festival in collaboration with the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead; it has been funded by Windsor & Eton Town Partnership, SEEDA and Arts Council South East. The Cultural Olympiad is a four-year programme that will highlight the country’s diversity by using both culture and sport to create works and events that will bring people and places together, encourage audiences to take part, involve and inspire young people, welcome the world to the London 2012 Games and create a lasting legacy. Windsor is also close to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games venue at Dorney Lake, which will be hosting rowing events. |
