Students illuminate CCM in Light Art Festival April 21-23
12 light art sculptures/installations will be placed in the outside CCM circle and inside atrium
Lighting Design and Technology majors are working with Technical Production majors to put their creativity on bright display during the Light Art Festival, presented outside in the CCM circle and inside the atrium on April 21-23, 2023. The free festival illuminates the college at dusk each night; attendees can explore the creations in a self-guided tour.
Bastiaan Schoof, technical producer of the Amsterdam Light Festival and many other European light art festivals, is a project advisor and guest artist collaborating with students for CCM's Light Art Festival. Organized by CCM Lighting Design and Technology Professor Sharon Huizinga, the festival is a collaborative undertaking with Technical Direction Professor Stirling Shelton. It showcases 12 light art sculptures and installations designed by the Lighting Design and Technology students, who worked with Technical Production students to create the pieces; learn more about each project and the student artists below.
Light art is a visual art form in which light is the main medium of expression. It can be a physical sculpture that produces light, or it can be a manipulation of light to create a "sculpture" using colors and shadows.
The event is modeled after the Amsterdam Light Festival, following their edition 12 theme "Beyond People." The theme aspires to combine technology, innovation and creativity. What role does technology play in the future? While technology can help us solve the problems, it may be one of the main causes for socio-economic inequality, damage to our environment and changes in our interpersonal relationships. The installations examine and explore the relationship between technology and humanity.
The CCM Light Art Festival is supported by CCMpower.
Event Details
- WHAT: CCM Light Art Festival
- WHEN: Beginning at dusk on April 21-23, 2023; indoor installations close at 10:30 p.m.
- WHERE: Outside in the CCM Circle and inside in the CCM Atrium. View a map of the installations.
Project Descriptions
Illuminate design concept. Photo/Provided by Andrew Gange
Illuminate
Andrew Gange, designer
"Projection Mapping AI generated imagery showcasing the AI’s response to questions relating to the human experience. Technology has significantly altered the human experience. I want to allow the AI to depict its visual understanding of questions surrounding its existence. I want the random assortment of subjects, styles, and composition to highlight how art cannot truly exist without the 'human" touch.'"
Utilizing lighting and media, I am passionate about creating and collaborating for live music, dance, theatre, and opera projects. Analyzing the relationship between technology, art, and the viewer are the driving source of my artistic philosophy. I am currently a junior Lighting Design and Technology BFA candidate at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. gangedesign.com
It Never Ends design concept. Photo/Provided by Jessica Drayton.
It Never Ends
Jessica Drayton, designer
"From the moment you wake up to check your smartphone to watching another Netflix recommended movie, AI has quickly made its way into our everyday lives. It Never Ends will submerse its visitor in an environment where they will be surround by realistic images, that unwrap and become the technology behind them."
Jessica Drayton is a professional lighting and projection designer for Theater Opera, dance and live events. A second-year CCM Lighting Design and Technology student, she grew up in Atlanta and has always has an curiosity of lighting. It Never End is her first Art instillation using all the skills she has learned over the years in a new and exciting way. Check out more of her work at: jessicaanndrayton.com//
Pantocrator design concept. Photo/Provided by Baron Leon
Pantocrator
Baron Leon, designer
"Scientists built a sentient computer containing all the knowledge of the world. An Artificial Intelligence that surpassed their own. They asked the computer, 'Is there a God?' The computer replied, 'There is now.'"
Baron Leon is a second-year MFA Lighting Design and Technology student from Orlando, Florida. Outside of CCM, work includes Disney Contemporary Resort’s New Years’ Eve Pixar Party, the University of Mobile’s The Secret Garden, Emerald Coast Theatre’s Constellations and Everblue Arts’ Band Geeks.
Rough Patch design concept. Photo/Provided by William Meckstroth.
Rough Patch
William Meckstroth, designer
"With the progression of algorithm-based text AI or AI generated art, my piece will comment on the delicate nature of this emerging technology. To me, AI is a double-edged sword, and still has many small discrepancies that will eventually be tuned until we can’t truly tell what is real, and what is fake. It is in the hands of the creator."
William Meckstroth is a junior Lighting Design and Technology student from San Jose, California. At CCM, work includes Assistant Lighting Designer for Frankenstein, Dance Works (Fall 2022), Something Rotten!, Production Electrician for L'Amant Anonyme and Assistant Lighting Designer for Student Choreographer’s Showcase (Fall 2021). Outside of CCM, work includes Lighting Designer for Romeo and Juliet with Silicon Valley Shakespeare (San Jose, California) and Programmer/Board Operator for Shylock with Tabard Theatre Company (San Jose, California).
CCM Pride design concept. Photo/Provided by Dionte Mercado.
CCM Pride
Dionte Mercado, designer
"The CCM Pride Sculpture will give visitors the experience to interact and photograph with a sign in celebration of the institution they chose. By Bringing the CCM signage down to the ground, making it human scale, it will allow visitors to feel more connected & inclined to interact with CCM facilities."
Dionte Mercado is a senior Lighting Design and Technology student from Alpharetta, Georgia. At CCM, work includes Master Electrician for Xanadu and Pippin. Lighting Programmer for Spring Dance. Outside of CCM, work includes Electrics Apprentice for Santa Fe Opera 2021 Season.
The Wood Wide Web design concept. Photo/Provided by Claire Michels.
The Wood Wide Web
Claire Michels, designer
"In a world increasingly connected by technology, we forget that networking in not a human concept. Root systems have connected trees for millions of years before humans even dreamed of the internet. UV light reveals the hidden underground network system that exists beyond the human experience."
Claire Michels is a junior Lighting Design and technology student from Oregon, Wisconsin. At CCM, work includes Spotlight operator for Choreography Showcase, Assistant Master Electrician on Fall and Spring Dance shows, Assistant Lighting Designer for Emelia. Outside of CCM, work includes Associate Lighting Designer for Titanic and Sweeney Todd with Oregon Straw Hat Players, Lighting Designer for Nutcracker, Recitals (2018, 2019) with A Leap Above Dance (Oregon, Wisconsin).
Hello.World design concept. Photo/Provided by Kristen Peck.
Hello. World
Kristen Peck, designer
"What does the computer think about us? What is it trying to communicate to us about its own experiences. A large stylized GPU stares at us with a colorful eye and the eye of the computer meets the eye of the observer. The computer reacts to the human observer, trying to communicate."
Kristen Peck is a second-year Masters Lighting Design student from Fontana, California. At CCM, work includes The Burials, Dance Works 2022. Outside of CCM, work includes God of Carnage at The Wayward Artist (Santa Ana, California), Titus Andronicus at Southern California Shakespeare Festival (Pomona, California), Heathers, Bee-luther-hatchee, Real Women Have Curves at California State Polytechnic University (Pomona, California).
Unique Fragments design concept. Photo/Provided by Bella Pfeiffer.
Unique Fragments
Bella Pfeiffer, designer
"Technology provides the opportunity to change the way we accomplish any task with the help of machinery. The human mind and body has the potential to craft unique and elegant things. When we combine these forces, the possibilities are nearly endless. These freeform acrylic pieces are made using laser cutting, heating devices, and LED light sources. Without this technology the pieces would not be nearly as elegant. The work of the carefully crafting hand cannot be seen without the machines laser engraving. The relationship between human and machine is symbiotic."
Bella Pfeiffer is a third year Lighting Design and Technology student at University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. She has many theater credits including “A Dream play” “Gianni Schicchi” “Choreographers’ Showcase” and many more. She has also held the positions of Lighting and Laser Designer at Image Engineering, and Lighting Designer for Le Jeune Dance.
Reflection design concept. Photo/Provided by Sydney Riddle.
Reflection
Sydney Riddle, designer
"Humans give meaning to everything. I want to explore the relationship between humans and the technology we create. This relationship exists because of everyone’s individual perceived reality. REFLECTION is a white light emitting sculpture that changes to a pool of coloronce a person touches it. The color change represents the individual’s reality being implemented onto the “white” object. While technology is starting to become beyond the scope of people, there is still the reflection of people in technology. Your opinion on technology entirely depends on your personal experience with it. By itself technology has no meaning, yet to each person it has meaning. Technology is beyond yet forever connected to people. We cannot forget that technology boils down to a reflection of ourselves."
Sydney Riddle is a junior Lighting Design and Technology student from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At CCM, work includes Head Media Tech/Operator for Galileo Galilei, Assistant Lighting Designer for L'Amant Anonyme, Assistant Lighting Designer for 30 Years of Stephen: The Music of Stephen Flaherty and Spring Awakening. Outside of CCM, work includes Warehouse crew member for Jason Aldean tour, Dude Perfect tour and Shinedown tour at Bandit Lights (Knoxville, Tennessee), Assistant Lighting Designer for New Works 2022 with The Cincinnati Ballet.
Within and Without design concept. Photo/Provided by Riley Rowan.
Within and Without
Riley Rowan, designer
"This piece plays off the existential belief that mirrors are gateways or portals to other dimensions that are only slightly different than our own but seemingly the same on the surface. With recent discoveries with nuclear fusion, creation of artificial wormholes, and black holes who is to say that that there are not parallel world existing in the the 4th or 5th dimensions."
Riley Rowan is a junior Lighting Design and Technology student from Virginia Beach, Virginia. At CCM, work includes Programmer for 30 Years of Stephen: The Music of Stephen Flaherty, and Our Town, Production Electrician for Sunday in the Park with George, Asst. Production Electrician for Dance Works, Programmer for Little Shop of Horrors.
Revolution
Eli Suarez, designer
"Through ever changing patterns on the wall, "Revolution" encourages viewers to contemplate the possibilities of a future shaped by AI. What are the creative possibilities that arise when we collaborate with machines? Who are the people who have shaped machines and technology in our human history?"
Eli Suarez is a junior Lighting Design and technology student from Dublin, Ohio. At CCM, work includes Lighting Programmer for Haunted House Experience, The Laramie Project, Once, and She Loves Me, Assistant Lighting Designer for Pippin, Production Electrician for The Burials, She Loves Me, and Danceworks 2022. Outside of CCM, work includes Lighting programmer for Carrie, Spamalot, and Mamma Mia! at Short North Stage (Columbus, Ohio), Assistant Lighting Designer for Comics Come Home 26 at TD Garden Arena (Boston, Massachusetts).
Butterfly Effect design concept. Photo/Provided by Janay Sukkarieh.
Butterfly Effect
Janay Sukkarieh, designer
"Technology has become a puppet master, pulling the strings of nature. What are the impacts of technology manipulating the natural world? We all have heard of the Butterfly Effect, where one small event can create a much larger event far away given the incredible interrelation between systems in the world."
Janay Sukkarieh is a senior Technical Production student from Irvine, California. At CCM, work includes Master Carpenter for Opera Gala, Scenic Carpenter for CCM’s 2019-20 season. Outside of CCM, work includes 2021 Stage Crew at the Santa Fe Opera, Production Assistant at South Coast Repertory, Lighting Assistant for The Britney Runs a Marathon Movie Premiere.
Directions and Parking
CCM is located on the campus of the University of Cincinnati. For detailed driving directions, visit ccm.uc.edu/directions.
Parking is available in UC's CCM Garage (located at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. CCM Garage parking rates for a performance or special event is usually available for $10-15. Learn more about parking at UC's CCM Garage.
For additional information on parking at UC, please visit uc.edu/about/parking.
Featured image at the top: CCM Pride design concept. Photo/Provided by Dionte Mercado.
Additional Contacts
Curt Whitacre | Director of Marketing/Communications | UC College-Conservatory of Music
whitaccp@ucmail.uc.edu | 513-556-2683
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