The light performance Extinguishers of the Darkness by students of the Design Department of Latvian Academy of Arts at the Lion's Festival of Lights from 5 to 8 December!  

The festival of lights Fête des Lumières is taking place in the third largest city of France - Lion - from 5 to 8 December (www.lumieres.lyon.fr). The director of the Lion's Festival of Lights visited Riga during its festivity of lights Staro Rīga (Shine Riga), after which the work the Extinguishers of the Darkness by Jekaterina Marinska and Līga Šnore - students of the Design Department of Latvian Academy of Arts - received an invitation to participate in the Lion's Festival of Lights.
           

The Extinguishers of the Darkness is a performance involving participation of three persons of light dressed in special uniforms and equipped with light irradiating devices. They disperse the dark around them and in the people who get into the area of their radiation. These friendly creatures gladdened Rigans in Pils laukums during the festival StaroRīga. The idea of the work was born during joint creative workshops organised by Latvian Academy of Arts and the Riga City Council, as well as during the study process. This performance is part of a broader concept Gaismoņi who are professional employees of light. Now their task is to disperse the darkness in one of the most beautiful cities of France by enhancing joy about light among inhabitants and guests of Lion for several consecutive evenings. Objects of light have been placed everywhere in Lion; all the possible objects of the urban environment have been involved in activities of light - street lanterns, architecture, parks, wind, and fountains. The entire city is shining! The Extinguishers of the Darkness from Latvia have performed in different places of Lion, including the territory of "students' experiments".
           

Last year the Festival of Lights in Lion was attended by four million people; the number of this year's visitors is not known yet. People demonstrate an enormous interest in the event, and their streams have flooded streets of the city.
           

The authors of the Extinguishers of the Darkness - third-year students of the Design Department of Latvian Academy of Arts Jekaterina Marinska and Līga Šnore say: "The impressions and knowledge obtained will be useful in our further study process and in the subsequent professional activity."

Prepared by:
Ingūna Elere, assistant professor, Latvian Academy of Arts, 29565554, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Barbara Ābele, associated professor, Latvian Academy of Arts, 29153500, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Pictures // Publicity photos

15.12.2009.