Light installations by 30 leading artists will illuminate the London’s streets as part of its first Lumiere festival. Lumiere London will see parts of Mayfair, Piccadilly, Regent Street, Trafalgar Square and King’s Cross all closed at the same time between January 14 to January 17 to host the capital’s first festival of light. Developed by creative producers Artichoke (a registered charity), the £2.5 million festival will allow visitors to see the city transformed into an extraordinary nocturnal delight, completely free to attend.
Highlights include an interactive installation that uses smartphones to allow audiences to “paint” light onto their surroundings, a light elephant that walks through the archway on Air Street and a defunct red phone box that becomes a living aquarium filled with goldfish. Another spectacular display will be the projection of images from BAFTA’s archive onto the side of the organization’s building, showcasing photos of stars like Michael Caine, Olivia Coleman, Idris Elba, Steve McQueen and Julie Walters.