Connected by Light at Canary Wharf, London, was a unique collection of inspiring light artworks, developed and installed in response to the pandemic and at a time when people had very limited opportunity to get out and move around. Connected by Light offered people space and time to get out, exercise and contemplate in a safe and socially distanced environment.
Over nine-weeks, the collection of nine light artworks showcased the intricate work of UK artists, and afforded visitors the opportunity for moments of calm and reflection. Lighting the path into the new year, Connected by Light provided the perfect opportunity for an evening of escapism.
The exhibition was complemented by a further eight light art pieces which are part of Canary Wharf’s public art collection.
Telling a story across the paths, *The Stories Under Our Feet*, by Elisa Artesero, was a poetry experience like no other. Disappearing text fell from beneath the benches, clustering into poems that paint the path beneath. The words encouraged visitors to contemplate and connect, as they wandered through the collection of illuminated verses.
*Tetra Park,* by Mandylights, was an exploration of colour progression. At points, the shades seemed to be working in collaboration, before merging into an unruly mix of captivating chaos.
Also from Mandylights was *Colour Cubed* – a single light source that created a kaleidoscopic display of energetic light. The artwork enveloped the senses of those who viewed it and inspired a creativity and joyousness fit to lighten the darkest of evenings.
With 2020 defined by working from home, *Office Party*, by Parker Heyl, played with fantasy and imagination to create a workspace coming to life in the absence of its workers. Flickering blinds, partnered with office like structures adapting to the needs of its inhabitants, created a playful picture of a living, breathing workspace.
Artistic duo, Baker & Borowski, apply their own personal spin to Lewis Carroll’s iconic Alice in Wonderland, to create *Curious Fluorious.* The impressive sculpture-like pieces dominated the space with an enchanting glow, creating a selfie-perfect backdrop for visitors.
Squidsoup returned to the Estate to decorate Montgomery Square with *Murmuration*. Hundreds of luminous orbs danced in a synergy of light and sound, all connected through a channel of data that passed through this shimmering network. Named after the captivating flight patterns of a group of starlings, the artwork’s lights, and trance-like sounds, navigated through the orbs and the space of the iconic Square.
Bringing the past into the present, *Ghost Trees*, from Tom Wilkinson reimagined an extraordinary historic event that was discovered during the construction of the East India Docks in 1970. Evidence shows that remains of a great subterranean forest laid here before its construction, but curiously the trees showed signs of being swept southward by a great force of unexplained nature. The glowing LED rings across the surface represented where these mysterious trees would have originally lived under the docks.
Careful steps were taken to ensure that winter activities at Canary Wharf were enjoyed in a Covid-secure manner, and Connected by Light was no different, with light works found glowing across the Estate’s parks, gardens, squares and open spaces. Ensuring visitors had plenty of opportunity to enjoy them, some installations were viewed at any time of day, while others came to life after dark.
