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Cha Chronicles III

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INTERNATIONAL DAY OF LIGHT AND MY LEAGUE

 

UNESCO's International Day of Light inauguration with the French League of Light Painting.

PARIS May 16th, 2018

Before / After

Light painters : MASS, Stephane Babatasi - Light Artist, NinjaRoux, Monika Sandel Photography, ATB ART , Dan Vlček, Kristýna Antošová, Miroirs D'Affo Dyle, Oussman Noreni, Dawn, Olivier Fay, Stabeu Light, Light, Shine & Decay, Through Meli's Eye, Vincent Gerber, Weel Two, Florent Pinard, Patrick Collier, Diliz, Alberto Res, Yas Cherkaoui, Sergey B. Churkin, LundiNata , Jean-Baptiste Wallers-Bulot, Brigitte Couloumiès-Zartarian, Juls Boo, Light Hunter

25 light painters, mostly LFLP members, during a couple hours

Planet Constellation

 

 

 

UNESCO

 
Five months later. 

April-May 2018

UNESCO’s inauguration of the official “Day of Light” as May 16th 2018 became the optimum occasion for the Francophile League of Light Painting (LFLP) to organize a series of events in and around Paris. Many members of the league had a creative role to fulfill in one or more of the three days and nights of events from making light tools to exploring the underground Catacombs. You may click here for a full list of the activities.

 

I was happy to be giving the introductory speech for the UNESCO presentation and direct two giant light paintings. One in the day time in the UNESCO headquarters’ auditorium attended by scientists and researchers of light. 

The other , at night time in Parc de la Villette, north of Paris regrouping 25 light painters mostly from the league. My concept for this part of the event was to sketch out a composition where each artist could have their own design within a three-dimensional space. That space being the park’s lawn transformed into an imaginary part of the universe by light painters .

The League

The idea turned into a “Constellation of Planets” for the Parc de la Villette and it was readily accepted by both Juls Boo (Julien ) and Stephane Baba (Babasti), the President and Vice President  of the league with whom I had enthusiastically co-founded the league three years prior. The second large-scale light painting to be organized with UNESCO, was agreed upon with the rest of the league along with Sergey Churkin from Russia. Each of the seated guests would twirl a light, while one of our members would spell out “IDL 2018”, (International Day of Light).

I asked Gildas Malassinet-Tannou, who specializes in light calligraphy on roller skates to do the writing , but he declined. Luckily Sam Heuzé (aka Mass), also a highly skilled  light calligraphy performer could.

“Sure I can and the light stencil with the Day of Light logo too.”, answered Mass.

 

As the excitement was mounting, I called Audrey Pommier  (aka, Pom’s ) , an excellent light painter with the league, “Can you believe it we’re going to do UNESCO! And we have our own Day of Light!.” I heard Pom’s disappointed voice, “I know, I can’t make it. Worse still, I’ll be next to Paris at Disney World with my family and won’t be able to break away.”  Understandably, personal life can intrude, I too was going through some major changes as I planned to move away from Nice.

I invited Iris Cebriàn (aka, Shyroii) from Spain as I know she loves to participate in large light painting events and knows many of us from our summer ventures. Unfortunately she too was not available. Although my two light sisters were busy, I looked forward to meeting new members like Mélisa Lefèbvre and Monika Sandel among others. 

I recalled last  September 2017, during a visit from Guilhem Jadikan , him saying, “Where would you go?” I responded cautiously “ Not sure, but I’m thinking of New York.” He made a long face and replied, “But you would be far from us and all alone. Why not go to Lyon or Paris?”, well I felt like living something new and that would be New York . 

While my thoughts were focusing on the Day of Light project, I was also making arrangements for  my continental move. Finding movers and leaving my apartment in Nice was a lot to organize.

Then arriving in New York  and, after visiting close to twenty apartments in Brooklyn and, despite my hopeful attitude, my body stopped processing food and I became very sick. The reality of how difficult it was to land in New York from France without a rent history turned out to be a stressful obstacle. As it became clear that I couldn’t insure my participation in Paris, a big black cloud of disappointment and regret settled over me. Now I would have to break the bad news to my friends - the friends I was so looking forward to working with in Paris. The timing of my move was turning out to be very bad luck.

I was horrified and heartbroken at the prospect of having to explain my present illness and trying situation. This League event was probably one of my last chances to live such an experience with people I cared so much about. “Ug!” (Sob sob.) But the show must go on and it did. Samuel Dereuder (aka NinjaRoux) would take my place to direct the audience participatory demonstration and  Baba and Mass the giant light painting.

 

Good choices, but I felt so disheartened while my light friends continued without me. Juls Boo was very understanding along with the rest of the team. I had to tell Sergey too and he was shocked but kind. No matter what, the reunion was going to be epic. So many of my close light painting friends and colleagues would be there.

Rémi (aka Stabeu), who had visited me in Nice made it to the capitol for the occasion, making things happen as he knows how to do so well. His planet was there too!

One of the planets was going to be Jadikan’s, another one Stabeu's’. A voice can be hard in the dark, “Where is Pala (Pala Teth)?”, then another voice, “Il est pas là!” (He is Pala), which sounds like ‘not here’ in French. One of our recurring jokes.

 

Late at night, as I lay in bed moping, my phone made that little message noise and when I looked, there was a stunning image on my phone. Baba filled with pride, had sent me an image as soon as he could, because it was a wonderful success mirroring the light painters’ personalities.  As large warm tears swelled up in my eyelids and rolled down my joyful cheeks, I was beyond words and deeply touched to my surprise. As the tears dried, I saw a large field floating with different shaped and colored planets, with stars racing among the planets and even the banks of the canal were lit by hand.

It was so incredible to see the initial concept come to life. An amazing sight, especially when you know that each light planet is a performing person. I was told that the big light constellation in the back was a thirty meter long creation by Vincent Delesvaux (aka Diliz), taking on a giant challenge with brilliance.

 

Yes, I do miss the League so far away from New York City, but maybe there will be other performing opportunities for large-scale community events and furthering the joy of the light painting experience.