This year’s light event in Turku will be bigger and more international than last year. The spectacular works of light art will be located near the River Aura. They will draw on the maritime nature of the city and take advantage of the open landscape along the riverbed and views opening up from different directions.

Why will a light event take place even though we must save electricity?

The light event consumes relatively little electricity, but produces plenty of joy for a large crowd of people.

The estimated electricity consumption of the event is 2 MWh. As last year, we expect a large number of participants. If each event visitor turns off a 10-watt light for one hour in their home, it is enough to compensate for the energy consumption of the event.

So let’s turn off our lights and entertainment devices and head outdoors to enjoy the unique experiences that artists offer us in fresh outside air!

We use a number of measures to save electricity in the city. Tips for saving electricity are compiled on the following page: turku.fi/sahkonsaasto (in Finnish)

On Independence Day and the days preceding it, Turku will yet again have something impressive to offer. The Path of Light will bring 14 inspirational works of light art to the city, accompanied by a rich supplementary programme.

The large number of visitors to last year’s event showed that the light event was a welcome surprise in the middle of the dark season. At that time, many admiring comments and wishes for a similar event in the future were heard on the routes leading to the works.

-  People were exchanging ideas and recommendations about what was worth seeing, Mayor Minna Arve describes the atmosphere of last year’s event.

-  A unifying experience like this feels particularly important after COVID-19 and unstable world situation have been testing the event sector and all of us for such a long time. Artists gain work opportunities, and we, as event visitors, gain unique, breath-taking experiences. On the Path of Light, you will also end up exercising outdoors without even noticing it, which means that the positive impact of culture will be manifold, says Minna Arve.

Jättililjoja, valoaaltoja ja vedenalaista maailmaa

This year, the Path of Light will create a maritime atmosphere for its visitors. The works will be located on both sides of the River Aura from the Auransilta Bridge towards the sea.

- The event will be more compact and consistent in terms of its location. This will make the route easier. It is nevertheless advisable to reserve plenty of time for your visit because of the abundance of artworks and the rich programme, says event producer Minna Heiniö.

The event will be more compact and consistent in terms of its location.

Starting from the Auransilta Bridge, the riverbanks will be decorated with giant lilies by the English artist James ‘Jig’ Cochrane. The Flower forest piece consists of a hundred four-metre flowers that change colour. Twenty flowers will be erected at the Market Square, in Hansatori and in the Market Hall Alley. There they will show the way to the riverfront, where 80 lilies will form a real forest of flowers.

On Itäinen Rantakatu you can come across Wavescope by the Slovenian artist Janez Groðeljin. Its circles of light depict spatially moving light waves. The shape of the artwork also resembles a telescope, through which you can look at the sea and towards new worlds. Antti Kulmala’s Dimension X, on the other hand, will transform the surroundings of the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum into a futuristic underwater world by means of colour and light art. The eastern riverbank will be crowned by a large-scale artwork Valonnostaja (Lifting light), created on the harbour cranes by Kari Kola.

Jouni Väänänen: Love.

- The city ferry Föri will turn into Turku’s own Loveboat, which will carry hearts from one side of the river to the other. Jouni ‘Psyke’ Väänänen’s LOVE piece will also be blaring out the message of love. It will be placed in the Cathedral Square, slightly further away from the other artworks. The artwork is part of the #psykelove series, which stems from the frustration that the artist felt when hatred was gaining a foothold around the world, says Minna Heiniö.

On the western bank of the river, the Barkerinpuisto playpark will be transformed into a light park, the museum ship Sigyn will sail as a stage for an artwork that combines video and light art, and a bright beam of light will rise to the sky from the deck of Hostel and Museum Ship Bore.

- The light on Bore’s deck is not just any old lamp, but a massive Sperry floodlight dating back to the Second World War. Its light can reach up to 15 kilometres. With his work, the Dutch artist Ivo Schoofs wants to celebrate the message of simplicity: one light, one beam, one project, says Heiniö.

Know Your Hoods: Pinnan alla.

Under the harbour crane located next to Bore, you will have a chance to experience an underwater world. Pinnan alla (Under the Surface) jointly implemented by Know Your Hoods and Jokojo, is part of the light orienteering included in the event’s supplementary programme. On the western bank, the trail will end with the artwork Turku 1827, reflected on the wall of Turku Castle. Commenting on climate change, the work is based on a 3D model of the city of Turku and created by Zoan Oy.

The Path of Light is carried out in cooperation between the spearhead project for the Development of the city centre and the Cultural spearhead project.

All works and programme information will be posted on www.turku.fi/en/pathlight