WCPO: CCM alumnus and student interns help to produce BLINK 2022
Alum David Seitz and a group of CCM interns played key roles in the nation's largest light festival
Story by CCM Graduate Student Chet Rhodes
UC College-Conservatory of Music alumnus David Seitz (BFA Lighting Design and Technology, '13) recently returned to Cincinnati to help produce one of the city's most popular events: BLINK 2022.
BLINK — the largest light, art, and projection mapping experience in the United States — recently returned to Cincinnati for the first time since 2019. Focused on immersive art, BLINK’s creators use light and visuals to build new worlds that provide over 1.5 million visitors with an awe-inspiring escape into a world of imagination. This year’s festival used 13 semi-trucks full of gear, provided by the New York-based Production Resource Group, to create 32 installation sites highlighting Cincinnati and its rich history.
Seitz, who has worked on all three BLINK festivals, directed the installations at The Banks this year. This area consisted of over 150 large lights, and featured 18 major projects. "Coming back every two to three years has been incredible to see what they've done further," he said. "This pavilion, all of this stuff down here on The Banks is new and cool." Seitz spoke to WCPO Channel 9 about the demanding set-up and programming processes, as well as the artistic possibilities that come with lighting projects.
Drones form the shape of an eye above the Ohio River during Cincinnati's 2022 BLINK Festival. Photo/Roza Gavriilidis
Drones form the shape of the ArtsWave logo above the Ohio River during Cincinnati's 2022 BLINK Festival. Photo/Roza Gavriilidis
Photo/Sage Dadiani Shepard
CCM was further represented at BLINK by interns Roza Gavriilidis, Haleigh Sano Kainec and Sage Dadiani Shepard. These students from CCM's Stage Management program worked on several different projects throughout the festival – including the OTR art/lighting installations at 3CDC Parks and the Eyes Up Drone Show – and helped to make BLINK 2022 a success.
CCM would like to thank Justin Brookhart, Executive Director of BLINK, for being a partner in piloting the CCM intern program.
Read more about BLINK and watch the interview with David Seitz courtesy of WCPO Channel 9.
Learn about CCM's partnership with Hughes STEM High School during FotoFocus and BLINK.
Photo/Sage Dadiani Shepard
Chet Rhodes
CCM Graduate Assistant, Marketing + Communications
Currently a Bassoon Performance master’s student at CCM, Chet received a Bachelor of Music from the University of Utah. He has held positions with the Salt Lake Symphony and the Utah Philharmonia.
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Featured image at the top: Set up for BLINK 2022's Eye's Up Drone Show on the banks of the Ohio River. Photo/Roza Gavriilidis
Additional Contacts
Rebecca Butts | Assistant Public Information Officer | UC College-Conservatory of Music
buttsrl@ucmail.uc.edu | 513-556-2675
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