Last year as part of the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival of Art (GDIF) we went to see the amazing Northern Lights Installation by Dan Archer, so this year we were keen to return for the newest offering, Spark by Studio Roosegaarde, here is what we found…
Situated on the Lawn of The Queen’s House looking down on the twin domes of the Greenwich Naval College the rather oddly named Spark started in the dark at 9pm. We didn’t need to search for where the spectacle was going to take place as there was a line around the corner and up into park.
The queue was long but surprisingly fast moving and like all British queues it was jovial and strict, anyone trying to jump the line was fervently banished to the back of the line and people joined the queue just because it was there – such a truly British thing to do – and asking ‘what’s this for?’ as if it didn’t matter whether it was for anything, but simply what better to do than spend your Friday evening in a long line of people.
Well eventually (20mins or so) later we passed the pointless bag check and crossed the lawn to the event itself. A mass of over 1,000 people sat and stood, chatting in near total darkness, while wind machines gently blew soap bubbles into the sky and fireflies jouined the procession.
That was it, this was the great usurper of the GDIF Art Instillation prize.
Fireflies and Bubbles!
The concept was that the bubble eruptions were meant to be a safe alternative to fireworks and lead fireflies into the wild.
Daan Roosegaarde has many different projects which all look pretty interesting and all of which are highlighting the environmentally friendly ways of doing day to day tasks and making interactive art pieces in sustainable ways.
Spark – was highly influenced by Roosegaarde’s love of fireflies
We wondered about trying to take photos of the soapy orbs, but the lighting was pretty low and there was no music or structure to the plumes of liquid ejaculations!
In all it was a fairly pretty but it could have been so much more. Co-ordinated lights and gusts of wind, could have sent the bubbles skywards in choreographed displays and more punchier lighting would have made it more dramatic even some music would have worked. It made for some pretty photos but really after being there for 5 or so minutes you could leave as nothing much really happened.
It’s nice to see art bring together so many people over the two days it was running and hopefully there will be more artistic productions such as this in the future.
The backdrop of the great Sir John Soane’s designed domes of the 17th century vista looked down on the crowds that gathered in the near total darkness to witness not the best art piece but something different all the same.
Although this piece is over if you wish to see it for yourself then you can watch the video here…
Plus stay tuned for more of the GDIF festival.
Well that’s another event shared and we will be back next time with something else to tell you about. So if you like Climbing-Moss consider joining us – link to the side>>>>
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