Amsterdam Light Festival – Dressing Up the Town!
Amsterdam hosts countless festivals all around the year. But the award for the most charming, has to go to the Amsterdam Light Festival. In 6 years, the festival has attracted art giants like Aiweiwei and welcomed new forces alike, staging more than 200 installations all around town every year.
A life cycle of the festival runs 14 months long. It includes a call for action, a jury selection, a building period and the final staging. Artworks that make the cut are ones that beautifully decorates the old town and reflect what it’s like living in the city, or what it could be like.
One of Amsterdamer’s favorites during last year’s festival is the Whole Hole, made by Vendel & De Wolf. This one was situated right below a bridge at the Amstel River. The flickering light makes sailing under this bridge mimics entering a light tunnel. The artist uses the tunnel to give you the experience of going through a full circle in life.
Many installations aim for the utmost of grandeur, but some hides simply in plain sight. Like “Crack in Progress” by Albert Geertjes. Partly inspired by Leonard Cohen’s lyrics “there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in”, the artist represents the paradox of the process and beauty of total destruction.
It’s just a car with smashed windows, trust me. Credits: Amsterdam Light Festival
The festival is right around the corner. One of the installation is already ready to go. This is DESIRE by the Taiwanese design studio, uxustudio.
During our Amsterdam’s Hightlights Bike Tour, we take you through these installations. Our local guides are art enthusiasts and cultural professionals, and we can’t wait to show off our city during the short festival. Book with us now before it runs out!
We also offer other art themed tours! New Art in Amsterdam Bike Tour and Old Harbor and Modern Architecture Bike Tour!
Check out the entire portfolio of the light festival here!
