Amsterdam Light Festival 2014-2015

The third edition of the Amsterdam Light Festival, taking place from November 27th, 2014 to January 18th, 2015, presents light sculptures, projections and installations by contemporary national and international artists, on two routes: the boat route, Water Colors, takes visitors past artworks along Amsterdam’s canals and the Amstel, while the walking route, Illuminade, winds through the city center.

The theme for this year’s festival was ‘A Bright City’. There were various perspectives to be explored by the artists and the results are very interesting. Take a look at our top 3 favorite works, followed by highlights from both routes.

House of Cards by OGE Creative Group

128 light boxes in the form of playing cards; the cards were designed by over 40 international street and visual artists

Images © OGE Creative Group

Part of Water Colors boat route.

Alley of Light by Serge Schoemaker Architects & DigiLuce

A twelve-metre-long passage that is surrounded by a four-metre-high three-dimensional matrix of 2000 handmade lights. More info.

Image © Janus van den Eijnden, via Amsterdam Light Festival

Image © Serge Schoemaker Architects

Part of Walking Route

my light is your light… by alaa minawi

“my light is your light… tells the story of the uncertainty of being. The six life-sized figures made of curved neon tubes stand on a dock as though they have just arrived from far away. They are refugees, conceived by artist alaa minawi (indeed, without capitals). minawi is, like his father and grandfather, a Palestinian refugee living in Lebanon. (…) According to the artist, people who have been forced to leave their homes exude a soft, gentle glow. His sculptures are made of white neon tubes that distribute an extremely delicate and almost silky substance, especially in the evenings. These fragile light sources have another function. Although bent to resemble the shapes of human figures, you can only see their contours. They are ultimately hollow, much like a refugee, says minawi, someone who has not only left behind all his possessions but also his past and his image of the future.”

Image © Janus van den Eijnden, via Amsterdam Light Festival

Part of Walking Route and Water Colors boat route.

Walking Route Highlights

Re(bi)cycle Dome by Vasili Popov / Image © Janus van den Eijnden, via Amsterdam Light Festival

Object O by Paul van Laak & Arnout Meijer Studio / Image © Janus van den Eijnden, via Amsterdam Light Festival

Video by Jack Fisher

Water Colors Boat Route Highlights

On the Wings of Freedom by Aether & Hemera / Image © Janus van den Eijnden, via Amsterdam Light Festival. Also part of Walking Route.

Video by Jack Fisher

• •

Find out more on the festival’s website, on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.