The story of Louis Poulsen is the story of the relationship between darkness and light; between people and their environments; between form and function. The inaugural Copenhagen Light Festival, which will take place in the Danish capital from 2 February to 2 March, 2018, will explore all these connections while presenting Denmark’s unique light philosophy. Louis Poulsen is proud to be the main sponsor of the month-long event – the first of its kind and scale in Denmark – alongside the City of Copenhagen and Tivoli Gardens.
The Copenhagen Light Festival was conceived by the City of Copenhagen, the world-renowned Tivoli amusement park, and the Danish Lighting Center, a non-profit association for lighting professionals, to give Copenhageners and visitors the opportunity to experience and enjoy the city in a darker, colder season. Held during one of Scandinavia’s darkest months, the festival puts the spotlight on light’s transformative power, with the city creating an enchanting backdrop for interaction between architecture, space and light.
Louis Poulsen, recognised worldwide for its innovative work within lighting design, will transform the façade of its Gammel Strand headquarters into a work of lighting art and host a variety of events and experiences in the central Gammel Strand area of Copenhagen. Louis Poulsen will also host the closing party for the festival on 2 March.
“We are thrilled to be part of this rich new festival, which is as much about history, culture and innovation as it is about technology and entertainment. We look forward to sharing our experiences of Scandinavia’s unique lighting design traditions,” says Louis Poulsen CEO Søren Mygind Eskildsen.
To celebrate the beauty and impact of light, Louis Poulsen is lending its showroom façade to lighting artist Jakob Kvist, known for his focus on coloured light and his work illuminating and transforming existing buildings and creating large-scale, site-specific installations. Kvist’s installation of a gradient scale of horizontal, fluorescent LED tubes on the Louis Poulsen building windows pays tribute to Poul Henningsen’s legacy of shaping light and working with its various colours and effects to create the ideal ambience. Henningsen’s iconic lighting designs have not only defined how Louis Poulsen works with light, but have significantly impacted the way people living in Scandinavia view and incorporate light into their spaces and lives.
“Jakob Kvist’s work is an ideal match for both Louis Poulsen and the festival as a whole. We were immediately impressed with this young artist’s ability to transform environments with work that is understated, contemporary and, perhaps most importantly, tells a story,” says Søren Mygind Eskildsen.
Rather than illuminating the façade from the exterior, Kvist will install the lighting elements indoors so the light shines from the inside out, reflecting Louis Poulsen’s expertise in interior lighting that enhances both the indoor and outdoor environments. “With this installation, I wanted to create a visual experience that honours Henningsen’s genius, his dedication to the study of light, and his unmatched understanding of its properties and effects. Like the Louis Poulsen collection, the concept strives to take the entire space into account, and aims for a balance of simplicity and visual impact that has a positive effect on the senses.” Says Jakob Kvist.
Anne Bay, Director of the Danish Lighting Center, says, “What is especially exciting about this new festival is that it allows us to present a quintessentially Danish way of seeing and understanding light. Our seasons are different from the rest of Europe, with much darker winters but also much longer summer days. This has resulted in a unique approach to lighting that is understated and very much focused on creating a particular soft, warm and inviting ambiance. The light is not about exaggerated effects that attract a great deal of attention, but about creating the most desirable human experience of spaces.” With subtlety and sensitivity as core principles, Copenhagen’s harbour, streets, buildings and historical sites will be embraced by light installations. Guided tours on foot, by bike, or in canal boats will complete the thrilling new experience of the Danish capital.
What: Light installations, events and activities in the city, free of charge.
Guided tours on foot, by bicycle and in canal boats.
When: 2 February – 2 March, 2018
Where: Throughout Copenhagen
Learn more: http://copenhagenlightfestival.org/
Katinka Fuglsang, +45 26796723, kfu@louispoulsen.dk
Founded in 1874, the Danish lighting manufacturer Louis Poulsen creates products that encompass the duality of design and light. Every detail in the design has a purpose. Every design starts and ends with light. Louis Poulsen offers a range of lighting aimed at the commercial and domestic lighting markets, with lights and solutions for both indoor and outdoor applications. In close partnership with designers and architects like Poul Henningsen, Arne Jacobsen, Verner Panton, Øivind Slaatto, Alfred Homann, Oki Sato and GamFratesi, Louis Poulsen has established itself as one of the key suppliers of architectural and decorative lighting and has a global presence with dedicated showrooms in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Miami, Oslo, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Dusseldorf.
Press release, January 2018