Lucid Creates’ illuminating new artwork, ‘Reflections of the Future’, makes its triumphant world debut in London at Wembley Park as part of the district’s free outdoor Winterfest programme.
Commissioned especially for Wembley Park, this new installation is a reaction to the wide-ranging social, health and environmental issues the world is currently facing. With the impact of Covid-19 and the climate crisis being felt on a global scale, ‘Reflections of the Future’ aims to create positive action and hope for the future after a period of continued uncertainty and isolation.
The installation was created by Chris Carr & Helen Swan and Lucid Creates’ team of skilled collaborators using hundreds of metres of steel bars, LED lights and mirrors, and unravels along the transformed Olympic Way in Wembley Park in a spectrum of moving light, soundscapes and mirrors, allowing visitors to walk through an uplifting, immersive space in one of the world’s most iconic public promenades.
The new commission adds to the existing light installations at Winterfest, Wembley Park’s free, outdoor winter light event. ‘Reflections of the Future’ joins ‘Reunion’, a unique light display from Kumquat Lab, which celebrates the joy of coming together.
The installation features a series of light arches which form ‘tunnels’ of different shapes, representing the range of our individual experiences during the pandemic, culminating in a space for friends and family to interact.
‘United in Light’, a new photography exhibition also launched as part of the Winterfest programme and features 12 UK-based photographers, ranging from recent graduates to award-winning artists, including former winner of the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize, David Stewart and recent London College of Communication graduate, Tami Aftab. The images will be displayed across 16 light boxes, specially designed to create uplifting scenes of togetherness, tenderness, and intimacy.
These new commissions will add to the existing collection of public art currently on display on the Wembley Park Art Trail, including permanent light installations such as ‘Shadow Wall’ by renowned multi-disciplinary artist Jason Bruges, and on Bobby Moore Bridge, revamped by Dixon Jones Architects with lighting design by Spiers & Major and Light Lab.
London’s tallest LED tree, which stands at 25-metres high and features 100,000 kinetic lights, also gives visitors a first look at the specially created ‘City Lights’ artwork by Brent-based artist Yoni Alter.
Josh McNorton, Cultural Director at Wembley Park, says: “After a successful switch-on celebration on 25 November for Wembley Park’s winter light event Winterfest, we are delighted to be expanding the programme with the world premiere of a unique, large-scale outdoor installation that will undoubtedly add to the area’s existing magical atmosphere. The newly transformed and iconic Olympic Way is the perfect space to host such an impressive and large-scale piece of art. Olympic Way is the latest development in a long transformational journey for Wembley Park, so as ‘Reflections of the Future’ inspires our visitors to look towards a more positive future, it’s also an opportunity to consider the area’s journey and what lies ahead.”
Helen Swan, Director at Lucid Creates, says: “We are so excited to be launching this exclusive large-scale project at Wembley Park as part of the Winterfest season. With the world still focussed on conversations around the environment with the recent COP26 and Covid-19 still a concern for many, we created this work to show that people aren’t alone in their concerns and together we can create positive change. The mirrors and lights aim to reflect people back at themselves but also allow them to look beyond their individual concerns and connect with others around them. ‘Reflections of the Future’ has been made from recycled materials and after Winterfest will once again be recycled, so embodies the environmental message it is hoping to reflect.”
Winterfest is a fully outdoor free winter light trail running until 4 January 2022. Wembley Park welcomes visitors to enjoy these lights in a safe way this festive season. The trail is spaced out across Wembley Park, benefitting from the area’s ample boulevards and wide public squares, which makes for a comfortable visitor experience allowing for social distancing.
Hand sanitising stations are also available next to each main art installation. After the lights, visitors can continue their experience shopping for Christmas gifts at Wembley Park’s London Designer Outlet (LDO), the capital’s leading premium fashion and lifestyle outlet destination, that offers a semi-outdoor shopping environment, allowing for better ventilation.
Find out more about Winterfest and its outdoor art programme by visiting www.wembleypark.com
