Vectorial Elevation to light up Vancouver nights during 2010 Winter Games, what do you think?
I have been asked by CKNW to speak to the proposed light display that is being planned for False Creek during the Olympics. I am unsure of the artistic merits of the proposed are artwork are.
My main point about the work is the process. It seems that VANOC is pushing its agenda about is going to happen during the Olympics and City of Vancouver is compromising its usual standards of community consultation.
As President of WERA I received an invite about a meeting on Friday for the following Monday, which is pretty short notice.
Anyways, below is the press release about the project that went out yesterday and I have also posted the invite from the City for the meeting to present the project.
I am looking for comments about the merits of the project and its potential impacts on the surrounding residents.
Vectorial Elevation to light up Vancouver nights during 2010 Winter Games
Worldwide online audience invited to create spectacular patterns of light in sky
VANCOUVER, Nov. 25 /CNW/ – Beams of light pointed towards the stars will illuminate English Bay and the night sky in downtown Vancouver this coming February as part of a Cultural Olympiad and City of Vancouver special event for the 2010 Winter Games.
Starting at dusk on February 4, 2010, 20 robotic searchlights will create a quiet canopy of light in the night sky above and on the sparkling surface of English Bay below with designs created by people around the world and delivered via the Internet. Called Vectorial Elevation, it is the first time the internationally celebrated work of art will be displayed in Canada and over a body of water.
The 10,000-watt lights will move and create patterns silently from locations in Vanier Park and Sunset Beach that cover an area of 100,000 square metres and be visible within 15 kilometres of the city’s downtown core, stretching to Richmond, the peaks of Cypress and Grouse mountains and freighters and boats on the water.
This large-scale temporary public art installation is co-commissioned by the City of Vancouver’s Olympic and Paralympic Public Art Program and Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, presented by Bell, with support from the Province of Quebec. The installation – considered one of the world’s largest interactive artworks – is by Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and is part of CODE, the Cultural Olympiad’s Digital Edition.
“As Host City for the 2010 Winter Games, we’re happy to collaborate with the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad and the Province of Quebec to bring this amazing artwork to Vancouver,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “Vectorial Elevation is a unique, magical work that local residents, visitors and people from around the world can enjoy. The installation will not only brighten our night skies, but also bring the Games to the world in an unexpected, interactive way.”
More than two million people are expected to view the installation in person in Metro Vancouver, as well as internationally via www.vectorialvancouver.net or www.vancouver2010.com/code. The event runs regardless of the weather until February 28, 2010.
Visitors to www.vectorialvancouver.net can design how the lights will move, their angles and how they are clustered in timed sequences to create their own patterns for the world to see. A personalized webpage will be automatically created for each participant to document their design. Organizers estimate 130,000 different patterns will be created in the 24 days the project operates from dusk to dawn.
“Vectorial Elevation is world-renowned and we wanted to see its majestic choreography unfold over Canadian skies for the very first time as part of the 2010 Winter Games,” said Burke Taylor, vice president of culture and celebrations for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC). “Lozano-Hemmer’s inspired work manifests the spirit of connectivity that we want to convey through the entire CODE project. It’s about using the power of digital technology to include the world in our celebrations.”
A real-time video stream of the work from four cameras placed around English Bay can be accessed on the Internet. Those who opt to create patterns can also send a personal dedication to friends or a sweetheart anywhere in the world at www.vectorialvancouver.net. The project was developed in consultation with the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation.
“Vectorial Elevation is a quiet, contemplative display of light sculptures that will connect many countries around the world with Vancouver. When I saw English Bay I knew it would be the perfect spot to create our largest canopy of light to date and for the first time we are also able to use renewable energy,” said Montreal-based Lozano-Hemmer.
Previously, the installation was staged in Mexico, Spain, Ireland, and France where it received accolades such as Lyon’s prestigious Trophée des Lumières.
Invitation from City of Vancouver received on Friday Nov. 20, 2009
VANOC and the City of Vancouver invite you to attend an information session on an important Cultural Olympiad 2010/City of Vancouver Public Art project. Vectorial Elevation is a site specific work created by world-renowned Mexican-Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer.
Please join Mr. Lozano-Hemmer and representatives from the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, the City of Vancouver and Cultural Olympiad 2010 for an artistic and technical overview of the project.
Monday, November 23
6:00 pm
Museum of Vancouver @ The Joyce Walley Learning Centre
Hey, just found you. I quite like public art, but my apartment window is, per the graphic, going to face directly at (presumably) a few of the spotlights. I’m also concerned that this “canopy of light” has never been done a) on top of water, and b) in such a cloudy, wet climate, and that both of these will put more disruptive light into a residential area than they’re expecting.
Nobody from Van. or anywhere else has appropriately addressed these concerns. I’m happy to chat more; feel free to contact my at my e-mail address.
– A West End Resident
Simple solutions: shut it off at midnight. Let us sleep.