LUCI at the Shanghai International Light Festival
The City of Shanghai inaugurated the first Shanghai International Light Festival, a large-scale event scheduled to be on display until October 18, 2024. The light festival integrates close to 130 projection shows and light art installations in 12 districts around the city. The overarching theme of the event is “Travel in Light”, with the goal to:
“Explore the realms of time and space to unleash the beauty of light and shadow, echoing Shanghai’s ambition to become the first stop for visitors to China, as the world-famous night tourism city.”
Exploring the transformational potential of light art
The Opening ceremony took place on September 18, at the main venue at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, with an impressive 3D mapping show, in presence of Gong Zheng, Mayor of Shanghai, and representatives of key partners and international supporters, including LUCI and CIE (International Commission on Illumination).
LUCI’s General Director, Mark Burton-Page underlined the transformational potential of light festivals:
“Light festivals are a growing part of the city strategies worldwide for boosting the image of the city, and the local economy, but not only. We believe that light festivals are essential to reinforce cohesion of the society, by engaging citizens and visitors in a common narrative, and also by including the perspective of key artists that help to transform the city with light art.”
A place for cooperation and knowledge exchange
Light festivals also give momentum to international cooperation. Discussions took place with the City of Shanghai as host, represented by key leaders Deng Jianpeng (Director of the Shanghai Landscaping & City Appearance Administrative Bureau and head of the festival’s Organising Committee of the Shanghai International Light Festival), Miao Jun (Deputy Director of the Shanghai Landscaping & City Appearance Administrative Bureau and member of the Organising Committee) and Wang Hui (Director of the Landscape Management Department, Shanghai Landscaping & City Appearance Administrative Bureau).
A definitive moment of knowledge exchange was the Shanghai International Light Festival Expert Seminar, where world renowned experts, shared with colleagues from Shanghai and around China.
“One of our main challenges is to use our resources – in this case: light – more responsibly, sustainably, in a way that will preserve our lifestyles, to thrive as inhabitants of this planet, and at the same time continue to innovate and experience beautiful moments.”
– Mark Burton-Page
The discussions addressed some of the key trends in urban lighting today: healthy, liveable and sustainable urban lighting (Hao Luoxi, PhD Supervisor at the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, and Vice President of the CIE); high quality and sustainable light festivals (Julien Pavillard, Director of the Fête des Lumières, City of Lyon, France); green and low carbon urban nightscapes (Roger Narboni, Lighting designer); urban lighting’s links with the UN SDGs (Sermin Onaygil, Vice President of the CIE and Professor at Istanbul Technical University, Energy Institute); and the high-quality development of Shanghai’s landscape lighting (Wang Hui, Director of the Landscape Management Office at the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Greening and City Appearance Management). Special focus was given to the development of nighttime economy.
There was also a special round table on the future of light festivals and light art, featuring LUCI members invited by Shanghai, like the cities of Los Angeles (represented by Dan Caroselli, Digital Inclusion and Performance Management, Bureau of Street Lighting Los Angeles) and Instanbul (represented by Mesut Yilmaz, Chief of Architectural Lighting of Istanbul, and Adnan Biyiklioğlu, Director of Energy Management and Lighting Directorate).
High Quality Urban Lighting in China and the world
The Shanghai International Light Festival also provided a meaningful occasion to meet LUCI Chinese city members, including Guangzhou and Nanjing, and discuss with other cities and urban lighting companies from China during the “High Quality Urban Lighting Development Forum”.
“I invite each of you to join the LUCI network and contribute to the evolution of urban lighting practices, help shape the future of our cities and become part of a global movement towards smarter and more sustainable urban living.”
– Fatiha El Moudni, Mayor of Rabat and President of LUCI
The Shanghai International Light Festival with all the associated events, combining research, industry, creativity and design, demonstrates once again the crucial impact of light art within urban lighting strategies, to progress towards sustainable, beautiful and meaningful urban environments for people, citizens and visitors alike.
Photo credits
© Shangai International Light Festival, Mark Burton-Page
