An amazing atmospheric event where you find yourself in a fairytale for couple of nights.
Jyväskylä – City of Light.
I was waiting for this event from the beginning of summer, whet I first heard about it. I love light festivals an I have attended them in Riga (Staro Rīga) and in Oulu (Lumo). Jyväskylä – City of Light (Valon kaupunki) is the oldest light festival in Finland with history of more than 20 years! It was possible to enjoy the event from 26th till 28th of September with numerous places scattered all over the city of Jyväskylä. I didn’t have time to see them all so I visited only most central objects and places. More information you can find here. And here you can see beautiful video from the event.
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Cosmic art of Hungarian artists Daniel Besnyõ, Ákos Tóth, Attila Németh – Dioptrice. The light installation was constructed on Ylistönrinne hillside near Ylistö Bridge and interacted with another artwork – Kimmo Schroderus’s Hyöky sculpture. Moving light rays reflected from the shiny surface of the sculpture created patterns in the artificial smoke that amplified the effect and together with music created mesmerizing comic experience.
Beautiful video of Dioptrice performance from University of Jyväskylä.
Compass of the central street was illuminated too.
A pop-up flea market of lamps – “Lamppukirppis” was open already a few days before City of Lights as a pilot event. People could bring their old lamps and sell them here as well as see new industrially manufactured lamps with various interesting designs.
Cosmic lamps of Lamp flea market. Just like star systems with planets or spacecrafts approaching distant worlds…
I met a photographer Sami Vuotilainen from a Centre for Creative Photography at Lamp flea market, where also works of photographers of the centre were exhibited. Centre is celebrating 30 years in 2019 and I became a member of the organisation this summer.
Light show and music inside of Jyväskylä City Church.
Fragmented Appearances of the dutch artist Gertjan Adema. Shiny rotating installation reflecting colorful light in all directions and seemingly floating on the perfectly calm water surface – something you won’t expect to find under the bridge.
Tourujoki river valley – the most fairytale like area of this festival…
Didn’t want to go away, but I had to see the rest of the event, so I started moving to other spots.
“Strike” by Finnish artist Juhana Moisander in windows of former Kangas paper factory.
In the end of pedestrian Kauppakatu street in Arenaukio square, Polish artist Artur Grycyk’s artwork Balloomi attracted attention of many people, especially children. The pyramid or spheres was lighting up to the rhythm of music.
Behind Balloomi I saw the crowds of people enjoying the event and street food on the Kauppakatu – pedestrian street of Jyvaskyla.
The Church Park, in the centre of Jyvaskyla became an Enchanted park by Flowers of Life collective. Park was filled with colorful glowing installations lit by ultraviolet lights creating mesmerising atmosphere and accompanied by dreamy music. According to City of Light page it is the largest outside hologram art entity ever exhibited in Finland.
And the biggest object of the festival – MAN by Australian artist Amanda Parer. 12m tall illuminated man figure at Lutakonaukio square.
People having fun around the glowing giant.
And some people are having fun under the glowing giant…
“Valon lähteellä” (‘At the source of light’) art entity by Kari and Samuli Alonen
“Burleski” by Elisa Hillgen with MAN in the background.
So that’s it! Hope you liked my photos and I look forward to capturing this event next year.