Mesmerising light show to transform empty Lincoln shop unit

A spectacular light installation will transform an unused city centre shop unit as part of this year’s Frequency Festival in Lincoln.

The festival runs from October 23 to November 1, and showcases a range of digital art exhibitions, custom-designed installations, live performances and debates.

One such installation will be created by digital artists Squidsoup in the Waterside Shopping Centre.

The walkthrough experience, called ‘Enlightenment’, will turn the empty space into “a hybrid environment where virtual and physical worlds coincide”, by using 8,064 individual points of suspended light to created feelings of presence and movement.

The immersive illuminated experience will feature four five-minute sections that will include:

• Lanterns, where very slowly moving orbs of light inhabit the space, suspended in mid air. When guests approach, they swiftly move away or burst and vanish into thin air.
• Divided Space, which will create two volumes of negative space, divided by a moving plane. When entered, the divisions will dissolve, leaving a trail of illuminated space wherever guests roam.
• Swarm – an area that will fill the space with countless flying lights that are attracted by guests’ presence.
• Ecstatic, where visitors will feel the light as it intensifies into an explosion of colours.

Waterside is also set to host another exhibit as part of this year’s Frequency Festival, called Caught In The Web, created by the University of Lincoln’s co_LAB.

Caught In The Web is an Oculus Rift installation, using virtual reality to take participants through the developments in the 25 years of the web. It asks people to think about addressing individual and public apathy towards the mass surveillance of digital communications.

‘Enlightenment’ will be on display at the Waterside Shopping Centre during the Frequency Festival

Chantelle Henderson, Marketing Coordinator at Waterside Shopping, said: “Getting involved in Frequency Festival was an easy decision for us. Not only is the event something we feel our shoppers will really enjoy being a part of, but it definitely help drive footfall into the centre, too!

“I can’t wait to see what our empty unit looks like once it’s transformed by the artists involved – it’s going to be fantastic.”

Uzma Johal from Threshold Studios, added: “As the Festival Directors of Frequency, we are delighted at having Waterside onboard as host to one of this year’s most breathtaking installations.

“Waterside is one of the most visited destinations in Lincoln, so we think that will definitely help in getting as many people as possible in to experience Enlightenment, which has wowed audiences across the globe – from Australia and Europe to Mexico City.”