Client: City of Scottsdale
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, United States
Completion date: 2017
Project Team
Public Art Agent
Scottsdale Public Art
Scottsdale Public Art
Client
City of Scottsdale
City of Scottsdale
Artist
Porté par le vent
Porté par le vent
Other
Salt River Project (SRP)
Salt River Project (SRP)
Overview
Artist association Porté par le vent brought a two-part installation to the Scottsdale Waterfront from their native France: Les Luminéoles and Lentille d’eau. Les Luminéoles is a procession of five, large-scale “helium light kites” that soared into the sky each evening of the interactive art event, Canal Convergence. Performing enchanting aerial ballets, the kites take the forms of carps, and each creature is piloted by a person residing in large, light-up blooming flower on the ground. Lentille d’eau is a light installation composed of 50 luminous spheres placed in the Arizona Canal radiating color sequences coordinated with the “light kites.”
Goals
Canal Convergence Water Art Light is an annual light-based art event presented by Scottsdale Public Art at the Scottsdale Waterfront. Each year Scottsdale Public Art puts out a call for ideas asking artists to think of installations, performances, workshops, etc. for the 4-day run of Canal Convergence that embody the theme of Water Art Light. The combination of Les Luminéoles and Lentille d’eau exemplify all three of these concepts while activating the skies as both an installation and performance space. As Canal Convergence has grown over the past five years, the scale and expectations have as well. The wonder and awe inspired by Les Luminéoles dancing across the sky each evening in coordination with numerous glowing orbs all connected by a choreographed lighting sequence brought Canal Convergence to a new level of engagement.
Process
Scottsdale Public Art and artist association Porté par le vent, and founder Christophe Martine collaborated over a period of 6 months to bring Les Luminéoles and Lentille d’eau to Canal Convergence. Communicating through a translator, Scottsdale Public Art and Porté par le vent worked together to secure a helium supply, and a storage space for the Les Luminéoles over the 4 days of Canal Convergence, as the kites remained inflated throughout the event. The installation of Lentille d’eau took approximately a week to install in the canal, and test the lighting system. Scottsdale Public Art also engaged Salt River Project (SRP), one of the nation’s largest public power utility companies who operate the Arizona Canal system, to assist in the placement of Lentille d’eau. SRP assisted during the installation by providing water safety measures, staff training and supervision, as well as use of their boat while installing in the canal. In addition to the collaborative efforts of Scottsdale Public Art, SRP and Porté par le vent, the performative aspect of Les Luminéoles took an immense amount of work and collaboration between the Porté par le vent pilots, who spent 24 hours each of flying the kites.