Futuristic skyscrapers against a glistening harbour, ferries bobbing up and down the waters and neon-lit streets overflowing with end-of-season sale announcements, Hong Kong proudly flaunts, the well-deserved tag of ‘Asia’s World City’.
The sprawling metropolis shines bright as the inaugural edition of the Hong Kong Pulse Light Festival is underway. I reach the Central Harbourfront well in time to catch a glimpse of A Symphony of Lights, the renowned multimedia show that is hosted every evening at 8 pm. The skies and shores of the already-scintillating Victoria Harbour are even more radiant as the show is larger this year.
The 15-minute show that has been illuminating the city’s skyline from 2004, has over 42 buildings embellished with computer-controlled neon lights, lasers, LED screens and searchlights. The skyscrapers together paint a mesmerising picture that plays to the tunes of a soundtrack composed using traditional Chinese flutes and bowed string instruments such as the erhu.
Once the show is done, I walk to the much-talked-about International Light Art Display which will go on till February 24.
Illuminated with myriad colours from the incandescent installations, the Harbourfront has 14 artworks by artists from across the world, including India.
The exhibition also features four local artists, who bring alive the hidden rhythms that Hong Kong dances to, through their quirky installations. While a pawn shop sign-inspired tunnel highlights the existence of one of the oldest businesses in the financial hub, a metallic installation of skyscrapers lit up with bright yellow lights recreates the city’s love for tall buildings.
A pawn shop sign-inspired tunnel highlights the existence of one of the oldest businesses
The artworks fall under three themes — technology and communication, childhood dreams, and connections and romance. “Not only are the works of art unique in shape and style, they are also different during day and night, offering excellent backgrounds and props for photography and social media updates. Some of the installations are also interactive,” says Puneet Kumar, head of market development-India at Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Taking a leap of faith, I enter a dark iron box installed by Japanese artist Yasuhiro Chida.
The huge box that is punctured with thousands of holes and pumped with fog tries to recreate the Brocken spectre, a phenomenon where a shadow of you is created on fog with a luminous wreath in rainbow colours. It happens when the sun is exactly behind you, thereby scattering the light. Yasuhiro recreates this by using artificial lights that penetrate the dark space and give you, your own Brocken spectre.
Light tunnel at the Hong Kong Pulse Light Festival
While some installations could be adored from a distance, it is the interactive installations that make the festival a fun ride. The Light Piano, for example, where I could change the lighting on the installation by playing tunes on a piano.
My dislike for workout hit me hard in the face as I struggled to pedal faster on a cycle to light up an arch that was embedded with thousands of blue LED lights. The installation aptly named LightBattleX, encourages participants to compete in cycling to light up their arch and defeat the other contestants.
The festival also consists of an installation called the ‘Bands of Friendship’ by two Indians, Vikas Patil and Santosh Gujar.
Drawing inspiration from the bands that people tie on each other’s wrists to confirm friendship, the nine rings constantly change colours to represent the changing dynamics of friendship.
(The writer was in Hong Kong on the invitation of Hong Kong Tourism Board)
