The Festival of Lights (in French: Fête des Lumières) extends the traditional festival of the 8th December, when the residents of Lyon celebrate the Virgin Mary, whose statue stands on the Fourvière hill, overlooking the city. They put candle lamps on their window sills and balconies and wander the streets of the city.
On the 8 September 1852, as the city was preparing to celebrate the installation of a statue of the Virgin Mary in the Chapel on the Fourvière Hill, the ceremony had to be abandoned as the River Saône was overflowing. The festivities were put back to December 8 of the same year. But the climate did not favour the organisers - a violent storm broke out during the day, and the event had to be abandoned. Then seeing the weather improving as night fell, the population spontaneously lit their homes with candles and Bengal lights and hurried down into the street.
Since then the ritual has been repeated every year - the people of Lyon decorate their windows and balconies with thousands of little lights - candles protected by little glass shades whose flames wreathe the city in a warm and gentle light, as winter drawn near. While continuing to respect this age-old tradition, the festival has over the last ten years mutated into an outstanding urban event, born of the wish to create a festival that would unite all of the people of Lyon and continue to celebrate the lighting of the city begun in 1889.
Since then every year, for four nights around the 8 December Lyon becomes the centre of light show design with artists from around the world, performances and light shows creating unique designs . With over 4 million tourists coming to Lyon for this event, the festival is probably one of the three biggest festive gatherings in the world in terms of attendance (after the Rio Carnival and Oktoberfest in Munich). The festival includes other activities based on light and usually lasts four days, with the peak of activity occurring on the 8th. The two main focal points of activity are typically the Basilica of Fourvière which is lit up in different colours, and the Place des Terreaux, which hosts a different light show each year.
One of my favourites lighting installation of this year's participations is Dundus.The giant of lights.The Dundus are large puppets with a transparent, flexible body who stroll gently to the melodious sound of the kora, aharp from West Africa.Their almost human behavior is amazing.
On the 8 September 1852, as the city was preparing to celebrate the installation of a statue of the Virgin Mary in the Chapel on the Fourvière Hill, the ceremony had to be abandoned as the River Saône was overflowing. The festivities were put back to December 8 of the same year. But the climate did not favour the organisers - a violent storm broke out during the day, and the event had to be abandoned. Then seeing the weather improving as night fell, the population spontaneously lit their homes with candles and Bengal lights and hurried down into the street.
Since then the ritual has been repeated every year - the people of Lyon decorate their windows and balconies with thousands of little lights - candles protected by little glass shades whose flames wreathe the city in a warm and gentle light, as winter drawn near. While continuing to respect this age-old tradition, the festival has over the last ten years mutated into an outstanding urban event, born of the wish to create a festival that would unite all of the people of Lyon and continue to celebrate the lighting of the city begun in 1889.
Since then every year, for four nights around the 8 December Lyon becomes the centre of light show design with artists from around the world, performances and light shows creating unique designs . With over 4 million tourists coming to Lyon for this event, the festival is probably one of the three biggest festive gatherings in the world in terms of attendance (after the Rio Carnival and Oktoberfest in Munich). The festival includes other activities based on light and usually lasts four days, with the peak of activity occurring on the 8th. The two main focal points of activity are typically the Basilica of Fourvière which is lit up in different colours, and the Place des Terreaux, which hosts a different light show each year.
One of my favourites lighting installation of this year's participations is Dundus.The giant of lights.The Dundus are large puppets with a transparent, flexible body who stroll gently to the melodious sound of the kora, aharp from West Africa.Their almost human behavior is amazing.
Dundu stands for “Du und Du” and means “You and You”. Tobias Husemann, who built the giants, says about the unusual name and the poetic concept: “You are the viewer and you will be invited to look not only at the skin, but also in and through the body of our giants. And you can see how lightness, optical illusion and identity loss form a freedom that you can feel. ” About one thing he is silent, however: On the question of what material the dolls are made of, the artist only answers: “It is the substance from which dreams are made.”The figures are moved by five members of a highly trained puppeteer team. The “players” lead individually the legs, arms, body and head on poles and thus, leave the impression of a lively character with emotions.
Dundu in Lyon - Fête des Lumières from DUNDU on Vimeo.
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