Amsterdam Festival of Light: 53 days of magic

If you are the same bored and tired from this long-lasting quarantine isolation as we are, try to escape the loneliness and plan your winter holiday travel together with us! Make sure to check out Amsterdam. Almost two months, from November 28 to January 19, the capital of the Netherlands turns into a real kingdom of colorful light beams and bizarre compositions painted with light.

Amsterdam Festival History

There is nothing mystical or even unusual about it. The Amsterdam Festival of Light was conceived as a major marketing event. The initiative belongs to the tandem at the event – directors Vincent Horbach and Henk van Buchel, who were looking for interesting options for winter mass events that would attract tourists to the capital of the Netherlands. Horbach suggested devoting it to the famous Amsterdam canals. Together with Van Buchel, he created the “Parade of Christmas Channels” fund in 2009 and held the first festival under the conditions of a budget as limited as possible.

Compared to recent events, it was very modest. A string of 20 illuminated ships proceeded along the free canals of Amsterdam to the city center. Thanks to active coverage in the world media, the festival attracted the attention of tourists and investors. The following year the event was more ambitious, the best designers of the world have expressed a desire to participate. Projects were even more complex and large.

What waits for the audience this year?

The traditions of festival works are united by a common theme. The theme of the 2019 festival was really interesting – “Break it!” It gave great scope for interpretation, works have been kept under secret; it was hard to find even outline installations on the Internet. No wonder – the effect of surprise is important for the perception of the works of recognized masters of light.

All works are presented in a single, light-monastic creative team, for example, in the Swedish style Utskottet, famous interactive installations with an unusual balance of light and shadows, or in the Taiwanese team UxU Studio, which surprises with voluminous forms and provocative themes. This year, more than 30 artists presented their work. All participants create for the common goal – to show the possibilities of modern lighting design.

For ease of perception, any exposure is divided into 2 parts. The first, illumination, is “land” installations located on the streets with the highest traffic. You can watch them from December 11 to January 4, then the light sculpture is turned off.

The second part of the exhibition is called “Watercolor paints” and, as you might guess, is along the canals. Some of the installations “sprout” directly from the water.

Prices for boat trips are not that cheap – from 22 euros for adults and from 10 euros for children, but the sight overboard is worth it. The installations sparkling and shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow resemble fantastic flowers that have blossomed over the water surface.

When fog falls in Amsterdam (this happens often in the middle of winter), light compositions look very different than in clear weather. Watercolor paints.

We invite you to visit this amusing holiday and send us photographs – we will publish them with pleasure on our Instagram page. If you enjoyed our article about Amsterdam Festival of Light, do not forget to subscribe to our blog and follow us on Instagram and Pinterest!