From galaxies far away to the growing forest at Gair Wood, research-inspired artworks and performances are taking over campus for Light Night Leeds.
The dazzling event returns to the University of Leeds on the new half-term dates of 28 and 29 October from 6pm, making it a perfect choice for families who want to explore exciting ideas in a quieter atmosphere than the city centre.
By working with the University of Leeds and other partners we can make it a truly all-encompassing event that stretches across the city, making art accessible to more people.
This year’s artworks and performances draw inspiration from high in the sky, deep underground, vampires, Greek mythology and more.
Starstruck by science
Projections of newborn star systems and gas swirling around black holes from astrophysics research are paired with music on the side of the Laidlaw Library, in a newly commissioned artwork titled ‘We Are Stardust’, by artist researcher Daksha Patel.
Dr Alison Young, Stephen Hawking Fellow at the School of Physics and Astronomy is one of the researchers behind the piece. It showcases her modelling work on how giant planets form, directly from a supercomputer simulation. She said: “Physics research seems mysterious to a lot of people, so it’s great that you can come and see it on a wall in huge, illuminated displays!
“You might notice a lot of spiral patterns – from galaxies to nascent solar systems to hurricanes, we see similar structures, that are quite beautiful when you really look at them.”
I hope people will see this piece and be inspired to look at the stars, to ask more questions and learn about research at the University.
Growing up in Devon, Dr Young was inspired to become an astrophysicist by seeing the stars at night. She carried her first telescope home on the bus with her grandparents.
Dr Young added: “I hope people will see this piece and be inspired to look at the stars, to ask more questions and learn about research at the University.”
The piece also brings in the work of Dr Florence Bell, a Leeds researcher who contributed to the discovery of the structure of DNA through X-ray crystallography. She took one of the first photographs of the structure of DNA and likened it to ‘a pile of pennies’ when describing it in a paper. Some of her handwritten equations, which are kept in Cultural Collections at the University, are included in the projection.
PhD Researcher Conall Kavanagh’s simulations of binary supermassive black holes forming after galaxies merge, are included in the piece, alongside open-source imagery from NASA and creative code-generated sequences.
Artist Daksha Patel said: “I’m fascinated by scientific visualisations because they can change our perception and understanding of the world by revealing what can’t be seen by the naked eye. During this project, I was struck by the incredible work of scientists using supercomputers to model and visualise the origins of the universe.
“‘We Are Stardust’ tells a visual story about how stars and planets are formed, and ultimately, how life on earth was born out of the powerful forces in the universe.”
Geological time machine
‘The Heat Beneath Our Feet’ provides a glimpse of the changing textures and glowing pathways below the Earth’s surface, tracing the movement of heat and water through ancient rock formations.
As the geological layers shift across space and time, they reveal how natural interactions between rock, water, heat and a new shallow geothermal network could warm and cool homes and public buildings across the Leeds district.
This piece, by artists Lynn Wray and Rebecca Smith (Urban Projections), highlights how researchers at Leeds are harnessing the heat beneath our feet as a clean, geothermal energy source, as part of the University’s Climate Plan.
Roots in research
As the leaves fall around us in autumn, visitors can experience a projection of dancing leaves to represent Gair Wood, the Leeds ‘woodland of the future’ where 60,000 trees have been planted by University of Leeds researchers to create a living laboratory, dedicated to ecological research and renewal.
Artist Lou Chapelle's work, ‘What We Leave Behind’, is a poetic response to the woodland. A choral soundtrack, recorded with Opera North Young Voices and Youth Chorus, sings the new woodland into being as a future home for hundreds of plant and animal species.
More to see and do
This year’s Light Night Leeds at the University will be the biggest ever, with 18 installations and performances.
The much-loved carnival performance by RJC dance, illuminated by costumes designed and produced at the University, will return in the form of a vibrant dance inspired by Greek mythology.
An evening of otherworldly, nocturnal and Gothic piano music exploring vampires, creatures of the night and the supernatural is also on offer at the Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery. It complements the ‘Quite Shameless’ exhibition, which explores the rich and unsettling legacy of the vampire, and is open specially for the evenings at Light Night Leeds.
Curious visitors can also experience student works, including a giant glowing puppet of mother earth; original compositions from School of Music students with poetry, dance and moving images; and lanterns decorated with sun-printed silhouettes of plants. The student commissions were funded by generous donations of thousands of alumni and supporters of the University, who have donated to the Footsteps Fund.
Discover the full programme on open up, the University’s arts and culture box office website.
Working with our city
Light Night Leeds’ annual showcase of the city’s creativity is organised and supported by Leeds City Council and funded by Arts Council England National Lottery Project Grants and sponsors from the city.
Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council's deputy leader and executive member for economy, said: “We love hosting Light Night Leeds in our city every year and bringing everyone together for this special and immersive event.
“By working with the University of Leeds and other partners we can make it a truly all-encompassing event that stretches across the city, making art accessible to more people."
Further information
Top image: Banyan, a carnival performance on campus at last year’s Light Night Leeds. Credit: Skywall Photography.
For more information, please contact Mia Saunders in the University of Leeds press office via m.saunders@leeds.ac.uk.