Corny and obvious, but true – every year I don’t even
realize how much I’m looking forward to this cool little art event until I see
the dates for it one or two weeks before.
InLight Richmond is a free annual art event
hosted by 1708 Gallery, and 2015 was their 8th year! Yaaaaaaay *many
claps* The event is an exhibition of
light-based art and performances that is held outside (mostly, sometimes locations
have indoor areas for one or two pieces) at a different location each
year. This year it was held on November
13th and 14th at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
And this was the first year they held the event over not one
but TWO nights! And I took full
advantage since I had been sick all week and (of course) the temperature
dropped the day of InLight (after being in the 70’s the day before). So figuring that most people didn’t know it
was happening on a 2nd night this year, I skipped it Friday and
waited for Saturday with the hope that the crowds would be minimal.
They were not.
Which is good and bad IMO.
At least this event is appreciated.
Although I’m pretty sure a lot of people only came out this year because
the VMFA is such a convenient location, for college kids and families alike. In the past, the locations that have hosted
InLight include Cary Street down in Shockoe Bottom between S. 12th
and 14th Streets, and Monroe Park at 620 W. Main Street. I went both of those years and it didn’t
seem nearly as crowded as this year (although I must add that last year’s event
in Monroe Park happened to fall on an especially freezing night).
(For a peak at InLight’s past, click here.)
But they shut down Grove Avenue around the museum for
seemingly no reason other than wanting people to feel comfortable crossing the
street.
Crowds were gathered at the entrance to the sculpture garden
because of tours going through the Confederate church, and that set the
precedent for any other plot of land throughout the rest of InLight.
Crowds everywhere, single file lines to see
exhibits, people standing in the middle of walkways like idiots (always),
children running loose (which how is that a good idea at night in a crowded
public area?), and just a whole lot of BLAH.
I don’t like people; I’m there for the cool light sculptures.
And cool they were!
The exhibit included pieces that projected bodies onto sand, made you
look through a giant blue pipe, let you see sound transferred into light, and
even one added late to honor the people of Paris.
(For a full list of artists from this year’s InLight, clickhere.)
These art presentations are so meaningful to me because they
are actually meant to stir something in you (at least a lot of them are). They’re meant to provoke either a feeling or
a thought process or a question, but they’re not meant just to be blinking
pretty lights some student through together to get a passing grade in a class
(like I said, at least a lot of them).
If you haven’t been to InLight Richmond yet, please consider
checking it out next year. Even with the
crowds, if you know you’re there to take your time and enjoy yourself, you
will. Alone or with friends (because
honestly I debated going alone this year, if I had to….and I was totally fine
with that idea). Keep your eyes peeled
and find out more information here.
And if you’re an artist or anyone interested in applying to
be a part of InLight next year, click here.
But without further delay, here are my pretty pictures from InLight this weekend :) ENJOY!
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