“River Sirens” at the Festival of Lights in Uppsala. Photo by K. Lund.
Most people I know here in Sweden think November is the darkest month of the year. Daylight Savings is over, the days are noticeably shorter every week, and it seems extra dark, cold, and rainy. There is no snow on the ground (at least in Uppsala or Sweden yet–snow makes everything brighter) and the lights of Advent are a month away.
So Uppsala’s “Festival of Lights” is a welcome sight in November. The festival has been held in Uppsala in November biennially since 2008. This year is its third time. The art installations in the festival are designed to encourage outdoor exercise (walking) and to show off new energy efficient technologies and innovative ways of working with light. This year the city of Uppsala worked with a bunch of companies and institutions to create the 15 light installations scattered on a four-kilometer loop around central Uppsala. The loop starts at the Market Square. Then passes by the Concert Hall, the travel center, and over the “Iceland Falls” to the Gustavianum dome.
My favorites installations on the loop included:
- above the “Iceland Falls” where ghost-like river sirens dance across the river the five opal glass sculptures where the water flows by Rosen park next to the Uppland Museum
- the blue lighting of Gustavianum roof dome
Gustavianum at the Festival of Lights in Uppsala. Photo by K. Lund.
- the large pillars standing around the middle of the main square that slowly change color
- Town Hall is where a synthesizer is projected onto the building and visitors can play with both sound and light
- the projection of the keys on the water at St. Olaf Bridge
Many of the light sculptures have added audio and in several places the public can take part themselves. Other installations only activate if someone is there.
It’s a neat idea and a great way to ‘light a candle rather than curse the darkness.’
Outside Upplands Museum at the Festival of Lights in Uppsala. Photo by K. Lund.
