THE "LIGHT", that will light up Loulé between this Friday, the 24th, and Sunday, the 26th, promises to take visitors to this festival of light to a "different reality".
Beau McClellan, mentor of the event, in an interview with Sul Informação, at the Convento de Santo António, where one of his works will be exhibited during LUZA, revealed that he had «very high expectations» for the first edition of the festival. “It's the first time we've done an initiative at this level and the energy is fantastic. The artists, many of whom work in various parts of the world, are enjoying being in Loulé a lot».
According to Beau McClellan, a Scot who has lived in Loulé for 27 years, what most attracts these artists to the city “is that everything is very close, within walking distance. You can visit one facility, stop for a beer, and move on to the next one. At festivals of light, in larger cities, it is necessary to take transport. One facility is on one side of town and another is on the other. Here everything is very close and the architecture, in the center of the city, is very beautiful».
LUZA's mentor is curious to “see how people will react. It's something new for them and I hope they like it. We can take them to a reality different from the one they are used to».
The first LUZA «is the beginning of an ambitious project» which, «if it goes well, can have bigger sponsorships next year and I won't have to ask for so many favors», since many of the artists participating in the festival, «are good friends who I've known them for many years,” Beau reveals. Even so, «it was not very difficult to bring them because they wanted to come to Loulé».
The Scottish artist invited other pairs from countries such as Spain, Poland, United Kingdom, Mexico, Japan, Denmark and Portugal to produce installations. The completion date is intended to integrate LUZA in the script of international artistic lighting festivals, such as Fête des Lumières (Lyon), Glow (Eindhoven), Luci d'artista (Torino), among other European festivals.
The festival kicks off this Friday, with a “Torch Light Parade” (Torch Parade), at 18:30 pm, which departs from the Sovereign Mother Sanctuary towards the city center. “The road is very beautiful and we want to have as many people as possible. It is important that they bring the children, light a torch, spend a euro that will help a charity. It's a very nice way to open the festival of light and it will be a fantastic stop».
Beau McClellan points to the participation of 2000 people at this time of the festival. «The White Night brings together 60 thousand people in Loulé, the MED Festival is the same. If we have a small fraction… It will be a very good time for families and children. I think it will be a lot of fun. The shrine will be lit up too, let's change its appearance with a cool modern and will have a fantastic effect».
In addition to this torchlight parade, there will be 15 light installations spread across the city and, on Saturday, at 15:00 pm, the Conference “Working with Light” is scheduled at the Cine-Teatro Louletano, which Beau McClellan guarantees will not be boring.
«I never wanted the light to become boring. I've been going to conferences with power point, technical discussions and we don't want that. We are going to invite the audience for a conversation, which will enlighten people about working with light. It is a moment open to the entire public. There will be coffee, if we are lucky a few drinks», he jokes.
«LUZA is for everyone! It's not for connoisseurs of contemporary art and sculpture. It's for families and children! It's not an elite event, it's an event for everyone!” he concludes.
LUZA is organized and produced by ByBeau and Eventosr's Lab, with the support of the Municipality of Loulé, and the seal of 365 Algarve program.
LUZA programming is available here.
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