Lightkeeper
A rainbow machine that responds to the seasons and weather on Toronto's waterfront
Location Aitken Place Park, Toronto Size 37" x 38" x 23.5' Status Completed
Status Completed
A signal for waves and celestial phenomena
Lightkeeper is a light-based installation that draws from lighthouse lenses and analog projection technologies to create spectral waves of light in Aitken Place Park. This installation draws inspiration from the use of light in lighthouses as a medium for sending messages across vast dark spaces for wayfinding and signaling danger or change ahead. Against the bright metropolitan backdrop of Toronto, Lightkeeper takes on new meaning as a reminder of the disappearance of the night sky in urban spaces.
Rolling rainbow waves beam across Aitken Place Park, changing the speed of their motion in accordance with the wind on the shore of Lake Ontario. A moon clock changes with the phases of the moon in the night sky, often obscured by the dense glow of Toronto. Speaking to complex interspaces between natural + manmade, wayfinding + placemaking, environmental + urban, Lightkeeper attempts to capture and keep the ephemeral light that cities threaten to overwhelm.
More information on this project can be found at incandescentcloud.com
The waves of rainbow light washing across the tarmac encourage interaction from viewers, who may take turns jumping over bands of light as they roll across the plaza or chasing rainbow waves down the pavement. The moon projections act like a dynamic spotlight that accentuates the light play.
A prismatic lens divides and refracts light across the surrounding park space like waves on the nearby lake, with the light's motion changing with the speed of the wind. In search of rainbows, prototypes were created over several years, each iteration an improvement the last.
During the day, the artwork stands as a mirrored obelisk, reflecting the surrounding environment of the park space and awaiting the sunset.
