Lux Helsinki to feature light installations also during the morning

Photo: Lauri Rotko

Light festival wins Helsinki Travel Award and will light up the city again from 6–10 January 2018.

The Helsinki Tourism Foundation announced yesterday that Lux Helsinki has won the Helsinki Travel Award, which is presented annually in October to distinguished parties or events that have had a positive impact on the tourism industry, its reputation or customer satisfaction. The Helsinki Tourism Foundation praised the light festival for its innovative artistic implementation: “As an annual light festival that takes place among the streets, market squares and buildings of the city each January, Lux Helsinki brightens up the city during the darkest days of the year and livens up the winter in breathtaking fashion through its innovative artistic implementation that attracts over half a million visits.”

“The Helsinki Travel Award is important recognition for Lux Helsinki, which began ten years ago. Each year we strive to make Lux Helsinki an even better festival for both locals and visitors. We have received a lot of requests to extend the festival, so we will use the prize money to present some of the light installations for the first time during one of the mornings for everyone to enjoy,” says Saila Machere, head of the City Marketing Unit at the City of Helsinki

Lux Helsinki brings to life the city space through impressive light installations

The relationship between the built environment and light has always been at the heart of the festival, and in January 2018 this will be crystallised in the installation Time’s Role by Janne Ahola. The installation is inspired by the over 100-year history of the building that now houses the Museum of Finnish Architecture and its changing roles over the years. The music and sound design for the installation have been created by Aki Päivärinne.

Ahola uses projection mapping technology for his installation, which is particularly suitable for his architectural theme. Projecting mapping involves the interplay of light and architecture; it is a visual presentation method that creates a unique identity for the object onto which the video is projected. Time’s Role, which describes the journey of the creative spark, aims in this way to break down the physical boundaries of perspective.

The 10th annual Lux Helsinki light festival takes place from 6 to 10 January 2018. The tradition of light festivals and their related expertise are indeed thriving in Helsinki. The popularity of the event has grown significantly in recent years. As a form of expression, light addresses everyone and is timeless: it is a strong, primal force that is at home also in today’s state-of-the-art technologies and startup culture.

”Lux Helsinki has established its place as one of the most highly anticipated winter traditions among locals, bringing people of all ages together to enjoy art in any weather. It is a surprising, exciting and effective festival that fits the size and appearance of Helsinki. In the future we aim to further enhance the festival through cooperation with top artists from Finland and abroad,” Machere says.

Lux Helsinki 6–10 January 2018

This event is free of charge

***

The Lux Helsinki light festival is organised by the City of Helsinki. The event is coordinated by Producer Emma Lumme and produced by Sun Effects Oy. The artistic directors of the festival are Ilkka Paloniemi and Matti Jykylä.

***

Media contacts:

Annina Pikkumäki
Mellakka Helsinki
+358 40 575 5776
annina@mellakkahelsinki.fi

Materials:

http://materialbank.myhelsinki.fi

Social media:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram

#luxhelsinki