As the world’s most exquisite and largest light festival, the Berlin Light Festival transforms the entire city into a luminous sanctuary of light.
The theme of this year’s Berlin Light Festival is “Colors of Life,” illuminating 42 landmarks, attractions, historical buildings, and famous locations with 85 light installations. Through the collaborative efforts of artists from various countries, these installations use light and color to showcase imaginative concepts.
Highlighted below are key areas of the Berlin Light Festival, featuring innovative and meaningful art installations.
Brandenburg Gate – Illuminating the Landmark
As Berlin’s most iconic landmark, the Brandenburg Gate hosts a 3D video projection performance by outstanding artists from four different countries. French and Portuguese artists Typru present the 3D projection “COLORS OF LIFE,” drawing inspiration from surrounding natural colors to depict dreams commonly contemplated in life.
Elements such as water, earth, fire, and air are central to the artwork, corresponding to the ocean, land, light, and sky in nature, coexisting in this boundless universe.
The Japanese artist studio Sunnana Inc. showcases a piece highlighting the harmonious beauty between humans and nature, featuring traditional Japanese colors and aspects of life in 3D projection.
The Ukrainian artist studio Kurbas Production presents “VIVID TONES,” projecting vibrant and exquisite colors onto the Brandenburg Gate, adding a dynamic and elegant touch to this classical architectural masterpiece.
The artwork “The Future Gate” by the Bulgarian studio MP-STUDIO features AI virtual human heads and geometric patterns with a cyberpunk aesthetic. It offers a unique experience, symbolizing humanity’s journey from the cradle to a bright future.
Opposite the Brandenburg Gate stands the Victory Column, a symbol of Berlin and witness to Prussia’s glory and dreams. The column is illuminated with rainbow-colored lights, rotating 360°, conveying a spirit of diversity, inclusion, and a theme against discrimination, titled “A Place Where Everyone Belongs.”
Charlottenburg Palace – A Baroque Spectacle
As Berlin’s largest and most significant palace complex, Charlottenburg Palace showcases the splendor of the Prussian era. Against the backdrop of this magnificent Baroque architecture, 3D projections at the palace focus on the theme of children. Children with life-threatening illnesses collaborated with educators and artists to create 3D projections, turning the palace façade into a canvas for imaginative and colorful children’s artwork, creating a captivating visual effect.
Among the projections is one from Taiwan, China, showcasing diverse natural landscapes with features unique to Asia, such as colorful underwater worlds and expansive forests, allowing viewers worldwide to appreciate the beauty of Asian nature.
Bebelplatz – Panoramic Extravaganza
Bebelplatz offers the best panoramic view of the Berlin Light Festival. Surrounding buildings, including the National Opera House, St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, Humboldt University Law School, and the Roman Hotel, shine with creative patterns.
The entire Bebelplatz becomes a grand stage, all centered around the theme “Colors of Life.” The National Opera House projection aligns with the “Colors of Life” theme, presenting a rich and colorful spatial experience.
St. Hedwig’s Cathedral and Humboldt University Law School also follow the “Colors of Life” theme, with the entire square illuminated by brilliant and vibrant lights, radiating bright and magnificent colors.
At the main entrance of Humboldt University, a unique spherical installation, “Luminary,” invites visitors to witness various planetary forms up close, experiencing the wonders of the universe and the mystery and beauty of space.
The Roman Berolinahaus Hotel, located on Bebelplatz, serves as one of the central focuses of the light festival.
The hotel features Vanessa Cardui’s award-winning animated work, “The Green Thread.” This projection symbolizes global unity, portraying people connected through a green thread, while a diminishing ball of wool metaphorically represents the depletion of natural resources due to continuous human exploitation.
Artists from Munich present a diverse garden projection at Bebelplatz, with a mix of various flowers, shapes, and colors, creating a fascinating collage against the backdrop of the Roman Hotel’s exterior.
Polish artist Pani Pawlosky creates a surrealistic projection, telling a story rich in multicultural, identity, and experiential elements, emphasizing the importance of diversity in making our world truly exciting.
Berlin TV Tower – A Unique Experience
During the light festival, the Berlin TV Tower can be experienced from two entirely different perspectives. Viewed from Alexanderplatz, artists from six countries transform the TV tower into a unique projection pillar, continually changing colors and patterns.
The Berlin TV Tower is transformed into a landmark of “Colors of Life,” featuring famous Berlin bear images and scenes of Bibi Blocksberg flying on a broomstick.
Various imaginative natural scenes cover the Berlin TV Tower, including images of flowers, birds, and interlocked hands, symbolizing the harmony and diversity of nature and humanity.
One of the works is “Forest Tale” by Chinese studio SKG+, using natural elements such as flowers, the ocean, and flames to create energetic and lifelike images.
The video poem “Tree of Life” incorporates elements from Mexican folklore and cosmology, representing the relationship between humans and nature and reflecting the essence of the cyclical nature of all things.
Similarly, the work “LIFE JOURNEY” by Polish studio Clockwork displays the stages of life from birth to death, with the tower’s various sections rotating to represent different life phases, connecting to form a person’s entire life.
Hackescher Markt – A Moving World of Light and Shadow
While exploring Berlin, the S-Bahn station at Hackescher Markt, a crucial transportation hub, becomes a canvas for light during the light festival. The aged brick exterior sparkles in the light, creating a dazzling effect. Riding the light rail to this station, visitors step into a world of light and shadow.
Hackescher Markt Station, as a pivotal nexus connecting people and places, aligns seamlessly with the light festival’s theme of “Colors of Life.” The diverse and vibrant colors echo the various people from around the world passing through the station, interpreting the colorful theme of life.
This year also marks the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop music. To commemorate this historically significant time, a special projection show is presented on the south side of the bridge, showcasing legendary hip-hop musicians who changed the world of music, celebrating this global musical trend(sources from miam.org).
Berlin’s Delightful Art Installations
Not only do prominent monumental structures receive light embellishments, but Berlin also hides many details of light design throughout the city. During the light festival, stroll through the streets of Berlin and discover these hidden delights.
Above the historic Potsdamer Strasse, many light installations inspired by poppy flowers adorn the area. Created by French studio Studio PITAYA, these light bundles sway freely in the wind, forming a romantic sea of light.
On Varian Fry Street in Potsdamer Platz, a spherical installation titled “Stars&Mirrors” reflects light in a dazzling display under the colorful illumination, creating a shimmering effect. Potsdamer Platz also hosts an inflatable installation, “Snail and Caterpillar,” featuring a giant caterpillar and a colorful snail facing each other, adding a cute and lively atmosphere to the entire square.
