We braved the cold weather, which felt like it was over -20 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, just after the Lux Helsinki Light Art Festival had opened on a mild Epiphany that drew crowds downtown.
While Wednesday was quieter, tourists speaking English could still be heard around installations such as “Melt” at Citizens’ Square. This installation featured a photo frozen in time inside a two-ton ice block.
We documented our experience in a video that includes exhibits in the following order:
- “Nordic Sculpture” – Lin de Mol (NL/SE) – Citizens’ Square
- “Melt” – René Dissel & Victor Dissel (NL) – Citizens’ Square
- “APPARITION #1” – Sophie Laly (FR) – Helsinki Music Centre screen
- “Illustrations of the Mind” – Heli Suoninen & Klas Granqvist (FI) – Outside Kiasma
- “The Last Dance” – Alexander Salvesen (FI) – Lasipalatsi Square
Video: TONY ÖHBERG/FINLAND TODAY
Over six days, about 450,000 people attended the event, with the largest crowds on the weekend, the organizers noted in a statement.
The installations could be found throughout downtown Helsinki, spanning from the Citizens’ Square to the Hietalahti Market Square, as well as at the Old Church Park and on the Espa Stage.
“Lux lit up the city. It was a joy to see how we succeeded in drawing large crowds to the streets to enjoy light art. The event brought joy and brightness to both locals and visitors,” said Annika Pråhl, the executive producer of the Lux Helsinki Light Art Festival, in a release.
Next year, Lux Helsinki will be extended to eight days.
