The Path of Light event will once again brighten up the dark evenings from 4–7 December. Now in its fifth year, this hugely popular international light event attracts around 200,000 visitors to the streets every year.
This year, the Path of Light route will take visitors from Turku Cathedral via the Market Square to the harbour cranes, passing through twelve light installations. All locations are open from Thursday to Sunday, 4–7 December, from 4 pm to 9 pm, and also on Sunday morning, 7 December, from 8 am to 10 am.
– This year's exhibition features a wide variety of works that complement each other. There is room for playfulness, power and minimalism. As an event venue, the riverbank ties the whole thing together and provides a magnificent setting for the event, says Kari Kola, the event's artistic director.
While admiring the works, visitors can also stop to watch the accompanying programme and enjoy the abundant food and drink on offer along the route. This year, for the first time, the illuminations can also be admired in the morning on Sunday, 7 December, from 8 to 10 a.m. during the Valoaamu (Light Morning) event.
– In addition to admiring the lights, you can also stop for morning coffee or a Valon polku (Path of Light) brunch at restaurants that will open their doors especially for early risers, says event producer Minna Heiniö.
For night owls, there is the Lightfest Run, the brightest sporting event of the year, which lights up the banks of the Aura River on the eve of Independence Day, 5 December. The race starts in front of Turku Cathedral at 10 p.m. and the approximately seven-kilometre route runs along the banks of the Aura River to Turku Castle and back. You can participate in the event by running or walking.
Turku as inspiration for light artists
Dutch artist Bas Kemper's idea for the work was inspired by the reflections on the water of the Aura River and the cultural and historical shipyard environment. Shifting Cranes, a work built on the harbour cranes at the mouth of the Aura River, is a new and unique light artwork that has been created especially for Turku.
Another installation designed specifically for the Path of Light can be found next to the funicular railway in Kakolanpuisto Park. Antti Kulmala's Serpentiini (Streamer) uses light to draw on the design language of the historic serpentine road that cuts through the rugged slopes of Kakola. From Kakolanpuisto, the journey continues towards Hotel Kakola, whose special lighting is provided by Rajupaja.
The Manilla Cultural Factory will present Juha Rouhikoski's Swan Song at the event. The work is based on Finnish folklore and the story of the Swan of Tuonela. The work draws inspiration from both the Kalevala and Jean Sibelius's work of the same name. Swan Song is a virtual augmented reality artwork that can be viewed on a smart device by using an app called TARINA.
The aesthetics of abundance and simplicity
This year's largest installation comes from Paradedesign in France. Artist Ghislaine Coudert's creation consists of three very different works. The poetic fairy-tale world of Ephemeral Garden comes to life at dusk, when darkness reveals the towering, dreamlike light sculptures. Giant jellyfish guard the banks of the Aura River, and in Tuomiokirkonpuisto Park, Labyrinth of Light invites visitors on a journey into the heart of an underwater forest of light.
In contrast to the rich and colourful works, there are also works that lean towards a more minimalist aesthetic. In German artist Martin Hesselmeier's pendule lunaire light sculpture, a pendulum-like moving light shows the viewer how long it takes for light to travel from Earth to the moon and back. Swedish artist Aleksandra Stratimirovic's work Hope, on the other hand, raises the topical question of the meaning of war through the words of Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. According to the artist, the work expresses people's shared longing for justice, peace and hope.
This year, the most distant guest artists on the Path of Light come from Japan. Emmisivescpapes, a sound and light art installation created by the SPEKTRA and ETERNAL Art Space collectives, spreads out across Barker Park. Whilst the work can be admired from the outside, visitors may also walk inside it.
This year, the Path of Light route will take a detour to the Market Square, where visitors can hop on a light carousel. Austrian artist David Ramin's Lotus pods consist of three capsule-shaped light sculptures that can accommodate up to four people at a time. The colours and sounds of this interactive work change according to the movements of the participants.
On the banks of the Aura River, the Theatre Bridge will be transformed into the Opera Bridge by Turku City Theatre. The themed lighting for the bridge, inspired by the opera The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, was designed by Jani Uljas.
All information about the Path of Light will be updated on the website turku.fi/valonpolku.
The route of the event, seasonal lighting locations and participating restaurants and cafés will also be published on the Citynomadi map service under the route name Path of Light.