Claypaky helps perform the light and sound show ‘Light Ballet’ on the Shannon River

Irish artist Mick Murray and designer Matthew Cregan have presented the installation of moving light Light Ballet, which was held on the Shannon River, with lighting appliances Claypaky Sharpy Plus Aqua.

Made between the 13 and the 20 June, The light and sound show in motion Light Ballet transformed the skies and surrounding landscapes of eight Irish counties. A show that has taken place as part of Brightening Air/Coiscéim Coiligh, a national festival marking the ten-day national season of artistic experiences offered by the Arts Council of Ireland.

Thanks to the lighting technology provided by the teams Claypaky Sharpy Plus Aqua, brand that distributes Stonex, the Light Ballet toured almost 200 kilometers and faced the challenges posed by the Shannon River, making it visible from up to seven kilometers.

Created by Irish light artist Mick Murray and lighting designer Matthew Cregan of Light Sculptors, the installation was accompanied by a soundscape composed by David Kitt.

Lighting installation and soundscape were synchronized in real time, which allowed the public to experience it at home, in the lands of the periphery or in the intermediate places through their telephones, tablets or computers.

The public could access the soundscape through the Culture Works and Brightening Air and artworks operated in a seven-minute cycle for four hours each night from sunset and the full cycle of the show could be seen anywhere on the route.

“In the design process we had to make the light installation work and be visible from all points of view. Once we bring the luminaires to the boat, the slightly moist air of the lakes and rivers turned the beams of light into beautiful columns. We were surprised that the beams of light could be seen from all directions, even if they were inclined to the other side. That made us change things in programming and design to encompass more of the total presence on the air.”, comment Mick.

Claypaky Sharpy Plus Aqua is a weather-resistant moving head (IP66 rating), perfect for outdoor events, Tours, permanent facilities and cruises. For this project, the luminaires were supplied by the British rental company Neg Earth.

As part of the design process, Mick and Matthew engaged with the schools and gave them a worksheet so they could help create the 'looks'. They included these in the programming and final design and also gave them a color palette to work with that they knew would be strong with any light.. “We have been very surprised by the rich colors of the lights and the beautiful cakes”, rcplicaMick. “Even with color, the beams remained visible from many miles away while the Light Ballet sailed at night on the river”.

Mick was really satisfied with the reliability of the luminaires. “We traveled with the piece as a crew on the ship for eight days. We had a pretty busy schedule to perform operational tasks related to navigating the boat in the dark on the river, as well as live streaming and feeding of content to the base. The devices are resistant with an aluminum body and head, no limsy plastic parts. They are real workhorses for rental companies, as they can be outdoors at a concert and then integrate into indoor equipment when needed”.

Other articles on Brightening Air, Claypaky, Culture Works, Light Sculptors, Neg Earth, Stonex