Through Saturday night, a public art project by LAND studio is turning Cleveland’s downtown malls into canvases for light displays including sweeping rainbows, iridescent discs, and high-definition projections. “Light Up Cleveland!” runs August 7–9 and is sponsored by a slew of companies and nonprofits. You can see a map and full schedule of events on ahacle.com.
The installations include The Global Rainbow, which is visible from miles away, Jen Lewin’s responsive Pool of variegated stepping stones, and Drawing Lines—a maze of ropes strung up across the Cleveland Public Library’s Eastman Reading Garden. Artist collective Obscura Digital will project high-resolution light works on the side of the city’s Public Auditorium, using 3D video mapping for a tactile and mesmerizing effect.
LEDs abound in downtown Cleveland this weekend, which project coordinators LAND studio say reflects a growing excitement about ongoing efforts to revitalize the city’s urban core.
“AHA! is the perfect opportunity for people from all over the region to come downtown and enjoy the beauty of our city in a way we have never seen it before,” said LAND’s Ann Zoller in a statement.
Earlier this year Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced plans to mount a similar exhibition along the Chicago River. That proposal was widely criticized as “frivolous,” though city officials maintain it would boost tourism.
UPDATE Tuesday Aug. 12: See below for an added gallery of photos from the event, copyright Frank Lanza via LAND Studio. Featured artists include Yvette Mattern, Obscura Digital, Jen Lewin, and Iván Juárez. LAND Studio says the event brought thousands of visitors downtown over the weekend.
