Liverpool River of Light artworks revealed

A celebration of Liverpool club culture, a Diwali-inspired illumination with Bollywood soundtrack and a giant field of colourful light are among 12 artworks set to illuminate Liverpool City Centre and waterfront this month.

The free 1.2 mile/2km River of Light trail will take in locations like the Town Hall, Pier Head, Canning Dock and Chavasse Park over 17 nights from October 22 to November 7.

It follows an inaugural event in the spring which saw thousands of people flock to the Mersey waterfront.

The theme of this latest River of Light is Rhythm of the Light, with each of the dozen works inspired by the city’s relationship with music.

Dance Together, on Canning Dock, brings together artistic studio Lucid Creates and Suzannah Pettigrew with Chibuku, combining archive music from some of the most celebrated nights in the club’s history alongside new site-specific poetry.

Chavasse Park plays host to artist Jen Lewin’s The Pool, a giant field of light comprising of more than 100 interactive LED platforms which respond to touch and accompanied by an atmospheric soundtrack curated by Lewin.

This year Diwali is on November 4, and Liverpool artist Chila Kumari Burman has created a unique new commission – Liverpool, Love of My Life – a collection of artworks which will take over the front of Liverpool Town Hall, complete with an Indian and Bollywood-inspired soundtrack.

Meanwhile Spriteworks, at the Canal Basin on the Pier Head, is the first outdoor commission of Warrington-based Pastel Castles, working in collaboration with The Kazimier, and is inspired by classic 90s computer games.

Above: River of Light attracted thousands of people to the waterfront in the spring. Top: Dance Together will be on the Canning Dock

Dance Together, Spriteworks, and Liverpool, Love of My Life, have been specially commissioned for River of Light by organisers Culture Liverpool, along with a fourth commission, The Kazimier’s Fly by Night.

The other works are Sonic Runway by Rob Jensen and Warren Trezevant, Trumpet Flowers by Amigo and Amigo, Wave and Singularity by Squidsoup, Iconic Site and Limelight: Saturday Night by Sans Facon and Light Piano 2.0 XL from Kleurbleur.

Helen Swan from Lucid Creates says: “I wrote my dissertation on Liverpool's club scene in the early 2000s and spent many of my formative years inside The Masque, so when Culture Liverpool approached us to commission a collaboration with Chibuku I jumped at the chance to create an immersive experience that celebrates Liverpool’s club culture in all its glory.

“Dance Together is a celebration of the music and people - the family - that have kept Chibuku at the heart of the Liverpool club scene for over 20 years.”

And Chila Kumari Burman adds: “I hope my piece will bring joy, inspiration and hope to the people of Liverpool. It is in essence my love letter to this brilliant town, and to its brilliant communities that make it what it is.”

River of Light runs nightly from October 22 to November 7. Full details on the installations and locations HERE