Discobug, made from the disco ball and the VW Bug, two iconic symbols from the ’60s & ’70s by Tyler FuQua was one of the major attractions at Brilliant Baltimore Light City Festival at the Baltimore Inner Harbor. Image: BOPA

Brilliant Baltimore Light City Festival brought together artists, authors, chefs and an amazing light art show that left guests asking for more.

BY KAZAD

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND— The excitement of the just concluded Baltimore Light City festival continues to reverberate across Maryland. Organized by the Baltimore Office of Promotions and the Arts (BOPA), this year’s festival was moved from March to November to coincide with the Baltimore Book Festival. The combination gave birth to the new name Brilliant Baltimore. Brilliant Baltimore referenced not just the brilliant lights that characterized many of the light art sculptures and installations on display at the Inner Harbor, venue of the event, but also the bright minds of authors and chefs that were part of the festival. 

In its third year, Light City is Baltimore’s festival of light art, music, discussions, and innovation that never fails to surprise and excite. Following in past traditions, this year’s Light City festival was rich in activities designed for maximum enjoyment. At the center of the festivities was a Light Art Walk supported by light installations and sculpture, performances, concerts, a family zone, and the giant Ferris wheel that has become a favorite with children and the adventurous. 

Art lovers Converged at Light City

From across Maryland and the United States, art lovers converged at the Baltimore Inner Harbor to experience exceptional light art installations created by artists from across the globe. The artists came to thrill and educate art lovers. Many of the guests could not contain their excitement as they navigated light art installations. While some installations were whimsical, others were poignant in their exploration of Maryland’s rich history to educate guests. Some installations also tested the mental and physical capacity of guests at the event.

For guests who wanted to test their strength, the place to be was at The Canopy.  An installation by artists Can-Duit and Pneuhaus, The Canopy tasked visitors with the responsibility of activating 12 sculptures that were both engaging and energy-sapping. The installation included 12 bikes that visitors pedaled to inflate an interactive and kinetic canopy. As visitors pedaled, different modules inflated and deflated giving rise to an emergent space with different forms of canopy appearing, morphing and disappearing.  The tips of the trees reached out to each other yet did not touch, forming a canopy or stark outlines between the treetops. Colored lights illuminated the canopies from within, creating an enchanting illusion of a storybook-like forest. Inspired by the phenomenon in tree canopies called Crown Shyness where trees maintain a slight gap between each other’s branches, the sculptures interacted, revealing their connectivity and individual identity. 

Artists Erick Benitez and Sutton Demlong’s immersive multimedia installation consisted of light and sound sculptures. It was an excitement watching guests, especial children, who dared to take the challenge of navigating the contraption.  Titled Where Pathways Meet, the  ​installation invites the public to navigate through three zones: Mini Garden Maze, Prism House, and Rainbow Tunnel in a fluid way. Although the three zones were interconnected, navigating them required a sense of direction.

Each section of the zone in Where Pathways Meet elevated unique experiences. While Mini Garden Maze consisted of a series of planters and housing acrylic plants arranged in a circular shape, Prism House featured audio/visual experience that viewers were invited to walk through. The Rainbow tunnel was a linear structure that responded to the activity around it. The cumulative experience navigating these three zones was humorous and engaging. It challenged the physical and sensory of all those bold enough to take on this experiential adventure.  Notwithstanding the challenges, the experience was exhilarating.

Focus on Baltimore at Light City

Walking into the Inner Harbor, the major venue of Light City Festival was like walking into a light City straight from a science fiction movie. Guests chortled and danced tirelessly as they circumnavigated the light installations. The curious-minded never failed to ask questions.

There were many questions at Behind Facades, an interactive installation created by Stafford-Mcclendon-Srivastava-Dolgin-Harner.  Behind Facades “juxtaposes the neighborhood Baltimore row home front containing projected interchanging scenes of activity displayed in open windows and doors with the Inner Harbor,” explained the artists.

At Behind Facades, viewers were invited to step on floor panels that changed sites seen within windows and door frames. Viewers’ interactions with the installation also triggered sounds and conversations of the people in the windows and door frames. The integration of constantly changing images of people living in Baltimore rowhouses was aimed at breaking down the barriers that gave rise to a sense of isolation among Baltimoreans. For the artists, the installation was an opportunity to project the voices of the different people, establishing the fact that despite differences and origins, a common thread binds us all. 

Engaging as Behind Facades was, several visitors found it surreal and voyeuristic, as their presence appeared to be invading people’s privacy. By looking through their windows and eavesdropping on other their conversations, some guests equated their action with voyeurism. Nonetheless, so much experience and education came from the engaging the installation. In addition to the historical narrative about the importance of the Baltimore row homes as a unifying factor, some of the visitors recognized some of the people in the sites. “That is my cousin,” a guest screamed with excitement, pointing to one of the sites in the window.  

Henrietta Lacks: An Abstract Baltimore Story

Jeffrey Kent, an abstract painter, and Peter Smith presented an installation titled An Abstract Baltimore Story. Their installation told the history of Henrietta Lacks, whose immortal cells (HeLa) were harvested and cultured without her knowledge in 1951. Jeffrey Kent who created works inspired by Ms. Lack’s story harnessed the technical expertise of Peter Smith to translate his paintings into animated abstractions that were juxtaposed with text telling the story of Henrietta Lacks and her important HeLa cells.

The installation appeared on a large outdoor LED and brought renewed attention to the tragic story of Ms. Lacks who tragically succumbed to cancer at the age of 31 in 1951. Sixty-eight years after her death, Henrietta Lacks continues to be an important aspect of medicine and medical history. Her cells became one of the most important tools in medicine, essential for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, the HPV vaccine and more.

Baltimoreans are familiar with the Baltimore Arabbers. They are the street vendors (hawkers) who sell fruits and vegetables from colorful horse-drawn carts.  These street traders are the focus of Baltimore Fancy by Michael Bowman–Formstone Castle Collective that was part of this year’s Light City festivities. The installation tells the story of these street traders as they sell their goods from street to street. Divided into two elements, the installation included a lit and decorated Arabber horse and cart, and a stable, where a magical canopy provided a sense of place and history.

Each night, it was exhilarating to watch viewers and art lovers exciting reactions as they were treated to dramatic light shows that rekindled the history of the Baltimore Arabbers, their horses, goods and importance.  The relevance of the Arabbers to the Baltimore environment was accentuated by their absence.  There was a void when the installation was dormant and the traders were nowhere to be found. Like a vacant storefront or an empty neighborhood, the installation was empty.  However, the space was always activated by the arrival of the Arabbers and their horses who illuminated the night in brilliant colors. The display, as the artist puts it, is a reminder “that it is only through use and human interaction that traditions are sustainable and our neighborhoods remain alive.”

In addition to the glitzy works on display at the Inner Harbor, several communities also displayed light art and sculptures in their neighborhood as part of the Neighborhood Lights. Supported by BOPA,   artist projects were installed across the city.

Besides art, there was a lot of food and beverages. Visitors at this year’s event were treated to a delicious food experience. The delicacies provided by restaurants around Baltimore followed themes from the Light City festival to create unusual but delectable meals for guests. Some of the chefs and food expert at hand included Pinky Cole, Sam Talbot, Nichole Mooney, and Carla Hall among others. For many at the event, the thrill was in the eating. Some of the dishes brightened the hearts of guests who likened their experience to a spiritual encounter. One guest described his food as heavenly.

Baltimore Murals at Light City

Walking around Baltimore is like walking through a large gallery. Wherever one turns, there is always a mural or graffiti to view. These Baltimore murals were at the center of Masters of the Edifice by Ellis L. Marsalis, III that was part of the Baltimore Light City Festival. The photographic project displayed in light and sound some of the many painted murals found around the City through large photographic reproductions in lightboxes. The photos recontextualized the murals with their new Inner Harbor surroundings, engendering new interpretations.  However, viewers were reminded of the origins of these works by framing them within black iron piping.  

There were two rows of frames approximately 60 to 80 feet long. The installation allowed visitors to wander down the recreated Baltimore “alley” and view the murals in a context similar to their installation around Baltimore’s neighborhoods.  To enhance that Baltimore’s neighborhoods experience and conceptually add context to the images, audio of organic ambient sound recorded throughout the city of Baltimore played on speakers strategically located around the installation.  Consequently, walking through the installation was like walking through the streets of Baltimore.

In addition to the display at the Inner Harbor and communities, Spark Gallery, one of Baltimore’s foremost galleries presented works on the theme of light created by faculty and students from the UMBC and Towson University.  The show included sound art and performance, ranging from light projection-based art, to work that deals broadly and conceptually with the theme of light. Amanda Burnham, Carrie Fucile, Colette Searls, Corrie Francis Parks, Evan Tedlock, fourhead, Jeneer Mateer, Figg, and McCormack are some of the artists that participated in the Spark Gallery Exhibition.  Others included Jon Lundak, Kyohei Abe, Lisa Moren, Lynn Cazabon, Nahid Tootoonchi, Phil Davis, Ryan Schmal Murray, Stephen Bradley, Timothy Nohe, and Vin Grabill.

Baltimore Book Festival

The Baltimore Book Festival aspect of the Brilliant Baltimore was as stimulating as the Light City art displays.  The event brought together authors, publishers, exhibitors, and booksellers from across the country. It was a celebration of literary arts. There were book signings, author appearances, and readings on multiple stages. The list of authors included Hill-Harper, Hedi Hormel, Andrew Gray, E. Elizabeth Watson, Robin Covington, L. Penelope, Rebecca Rivard, Alexis Daria, Joyfully Jay, Glen Mourning, Kenji Jackson, Sherman R. Barksdale III, Stephen McGill II, Jennifer Ogunsola, Maya Gilmore, and Sheri Booker among others.

Brilliant Baltimore was a great experience for all those that attended. Uniting the Light City Festival with the 24th annual Baltimore Book Festival gave the annual festivities a wider range of experiences. As for those who were at the Inner Harbor to see all the light art and shows, the genius of the organizers was in moving the Light City festival to November in conjunction with the end of daylight savings. The change allowed a greater opportunity for visitors to view the light art installations earlier in the evening. For the book lovers, it was an opportunity to engage more authors. Book lovers enjoyed the opportunity to meet authors on book tours and book signings.  

Fireworks at Light City

The Light City Festivity ended on a spectacle note. The grand finale featured a beautiful and colorful firework display that left guests in awe. They watched as different colors of firework dramatically interacted in the open sky like Jackson Pollock splattering paints of different colors on a huge dark canvas. It was a remarkable sight.

More artists and their projects at the Light City Festival and Brilliant Baltimore

(off) Lines by Pierre Ranzini  

Pierre Ranzini is a photographer, musician painter, video artist based in Paris. Although he has a background in graphic design and visual art, he has over the years become a multi-disciplinary artist. For Light City 2019, he presented (off) Lines, a light installation that dazzled many art lovers. Made of 320 linear meters of square bars, the architectural modular construction installation consisted of more than 7,000 LEDs that enlivened the space around it with light movement and encouraged viewers to experience the numerous shapes created by the alternatingly illuminated LED tubes.

Between the Lines by Pitaya

The artists Pitaya presented Between the Lines, an installation showing huge stylistic fishing rods installed by the water. As it got dark, the rods gradually disappeared into the sky, leaving just long lines of light moving with the wind.  Viewed from different angles, the installation engendered different perceptions of the work. From one end, it looked like an abstract configuration and another, it signaled a reminder that something is out there. The installation was an opportunity for   “visitors to think about how common things could provide different meanings,” Pitaya explained. 

Human Tiles by Nuno Maya

A multimedia artist based in Lisbon, Portugal, Nuno Maya has exhibited his works around the globe. He presented Human Tiles at this year’s Light City Festival at the Baltimore Inner Harbor. Human Tiles is a real-time interactive that provided the opportunity for visitors to form the graphical patterns that were projected onto a chosen architecture. It began with a   video camera that captured in real-time the movements of visitors as they interacted on a white floor. Their movement was then transformed into a kaleidoscopic projection onto a nearby building. The colorful ornamentation projected on walls transformed them, giving the inhabitant the power to create and enhance their own environment.

Infinity by Epigram LLC

The experience of how people respond to light and sound are at the center of Infinity and light and sound installation by the group of creatives known as Epigram LLC.  Made up of three cocoon-like structures, the installation allowed viewers to enter and experience the impact of sound and light.  As they maneuvered through the three sculptures, viewers were followed by sounds that changed according to their movements. Viewers were also encouraged to modify their movement in a way that allows for new experiences.  

Keyframes by Groupe Laps

Groupe Laps is famous for its Keyframes installation. The group has several videos of their art installations on YouTube. However, the videos are nothing like experiencing Groupe Lap’s installation in real life. Based on the principles of the 19th-century chronophotography and with the help of new technological tools, the Keyframes installation overtook the façade of a building in the Inner Harbor and brought it to life with a dance of moving figures. A soundtrack accompanied the figures, creating an illusion of motion, and formed a bridge between sculpture and cinema.

Waterlight Graffiti by Antonin Fourneau

With an Art Diploma from Aix-en-Provence Art School in 2005 and a Post Diploma in Interactive Art in the Design School of EnsAD Paris in 2007, Antonin Fourneau has made a mark in the creative world for many of his unique artworks created using LED. Waterlight Graffiti is displayed at the Baltimore Inner Harbor, as part of the Light City Festival was a continuation of the artist’s commitment to creating exceptional works using LEDs.  The interactive peace invited the public to express their creativity on a luminous surface by drawing or writing with a brush or a spray. Like shooting stars, messages and drawings emerge from the darkness and gradually fade away. The installation explored a patented technology based on a simple physical principle of using water as an electricity conductor. 

Radiant Flux by Kevin Blackistone

Kevin Blackstone’s Radiant Flux consisted of over 100 independently moving triangular mirrors that guests found intriguing. It explored the many facets of light through solar reflectance by day and moonbeams at night.   An interactive sculpture, guests who visited the installation during the day had glints of sunlight cast upon them while having their mirrored image form and deconstruct itself in oscillating patterns.

For those who visited at night, the experience was similar but different. Although the reflections continued, the light created displayed colored shards moving with the participants and colored by the pulses of music. Beyond the experience of interacting with the installations, guests were able to share their experience with the changes that occurred in the afternoon and at night.

Loop by Ekumen and Jonathan Villeneuve:

The retro-futuristic machine Loop is a cross between a music box, a zoetrope, and a railway handcar, that created animated fairy-tales. Through the combined efforts of members of the public working the hand lever, the image cylinder lit up and created the illusion of motion in the drawings. The black and white images, tinted through a strobe effect, recall the earliest movies. The speed at which the images fly by, the frequency at which the light flickers and the rhythm of the audio composition were directly related to the pace set by the participants, who can be of any age.

MAPP by AlexP

A mobile point-and-shoot video projection mapping system installation light art generated great excitement at the Light City festival for its interactive accomplishment.  Titled MAPP, an abbreviation of Mapping. At Private Properties, the installation consisted of a video projector, a camera, and a laptop running custom software developed by AlexP. Everything is mounted together on a pram. MAPP makes a scan of its surroundings using the camera and subsequently shows an abstract and moving video mapping. Visitors to Light City were invited to “step into the light” and became part of the artwork. Once the scan of the visitors completed, they walked out of the light and saw themselves in the colorful projection.

Many of those at the Brilliant Baltimore Light City festival had so much fun. What about you? Tell us about your experience during Brilliant Baltimore festivities.