A Trip To The Lumiere Festival
A small background on the Lumiere festival, Lumiere is produced by Artichoke, creators of extraordinary art in unusual places. Artichoke works with UK and international artists to produce large-scale artworks and events that live in the memory forever. We aim to inspire and transform people’s lives by changing the way they see the world through art, bringing communities across the UK and beyond together in learning and participation projects, and leaving a legacy of skills and newfound potential behind. Find out more about the company here.
IN OUR HEARTS BLIND HOPE
Inspired by Día de los Muertos (the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday), which involves gathering each November to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, shape-shifting video-mapped projections transform the façade of Durham Cathedral into an immersive reflection on the present moment. With musical contributions sourced from local residents and Durham University orchestra, the piece culminates in a glimmering moment of collective hope.
Harry’s thoughts about this piece were “I was inspired by the scale of this piece, I admired the creativity of the artist and the ability to blend the gothic look of the cathedral with the modern look of the lights”
THE FROGGS
Groupe LAPS return to Durham with their trademark LED figures, this time in the form of a rock’n’roll band, complete with brass section and backing vocals, and a singer who just won’t keep still!
With original songs and music, this installation promises to be a festival favorite, so get your dancing shoes on.
KEYFRAMES by Groupe LAPS was part of Lumiere Durham 2013 and Lumiere London 2016.
Harry’s thoughts about this piece were “I really felt the music accompanying this piece (Erwan Quintin) complimented this piece fantastically and really brought it all together I even decided to have a small dance”
CITY OF LIGHT, CITY OF STORIES
A city is nothing without its residents’ stories, old and new. Members of local communities worked with lantern artists and poets to build an imaginary city of illuminated streets, simple houses, grand architectural wonders, and even some familiar sites.
City of Light is animated by an epic soundscape that reflects the City’s sonic ebbs and flows, fusing original music and poetry with stories gathered from residents (newly arrived and long established) who took part in making the work.
The first version of this piece was created in Liverpool in 2019, City of Light, City of Sanctuary.
Harry’s thoughts about this piece were “When I saw this piece I was very inspired by the fact it’s a collaborative art piece and members of the community partake in its creation allowing for the expression of various members of the community”
ANTHOLOGY – INTO THE LIGHT
In this major new initiative, Artichoke in collaboration with New Writing North and Durham University, is stepping into the world of contemporary poetry. With new commissions from ten of the UK’s most exciting poets, including Selina Nwulu, Roger Robinson, Kae Tempest, Michael Rosen and Lemn Sissay, these sparkling original works will be projected onto the ancient walls of Durham Castle.
Reflecting on ideas of light and darkness, each writer was invited to contribute a new poem, and was then recorded reading it. The result is a wonderfully luminous and textured artwork that feeds the senses and speaks to Durham’s long history as a place of learning and enlightenment. As the poems play along the Castle wall in sequence, visible from below and across the river, the illuminated words will be spoken by the voices of the poets themselves.
Harry’s thoughts about this piece were “I originally didn’t like this piece but after some time I felt like it grew on me and the poems with the piece really spoke to me”
