Public Art at Main Street Garden Park:
SPRING Lights Change to SUMMER
SpectraScape, the public art installation comprised of video bands of light that scroll across the green glass shelters at Main Street Garden Park will shift from the spring colors – hot pinks and white – to summer soft pink, lavender and yellows – on June 21, as the Summer Soltice transpires. On Tuesday evening viewers will see a dynamic media transmission echoing the summer landscape of the garden park.
DESIGN PROCESS: Preliminary Spring to Summer colors.
Here, a silent film of the design and construction process: SpectraScape – an Interactive Artwork Under Construction. The project progressed from construction to video and seasonal programming, shown in this short video: SpectraScape – On-site Programming. In the end, a crowded and joyful opening event included my talk on Dallas Main Street Garden Park – Ribbon Cutting.
DESIGN PROCESS: Spring to Summer color refinements. Final video pixel proportions and color distinctions
SpectraScape, inspired by the colors of the seasonal foliage in Main Street Garden Park, interacts with park visitors when they enter the green glass shelters. The horizontal scroll of color freezes as interior lights illuminate the shelter space when visitors step in.
The presentation of Spring in SpectraScape is best viewed just after dusk, which is clearly identified by the white color bands that identify the 30 minutes of sunset before resuming with the seasonal rhythmic flash of color that races across the top of the shelter. This work inhabits the City’s first urban park landscape in central Dallas, Main Street Garden Park located between Commerce and Main and St. Paul and Harwood streets.
Leni Schwendinger
With over twenty years of work as both lighting designer and public artist, Leni has developed her lighting philosophy and in doing so, has refined the possibilities for light in the urban environment. She has been the recipient of numerous professional awards, including several “Lumen” awards from the Illuminating Engineering Society, the Society for Environmental Graphic Design and the NYFA Fellowship for emerging and media art.
The City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) works to enhance the vitality of the City and the quality of life for all Dallas citizens by creating an environment wherein arts and cultural organizations can thrive so that people of all ages can enjoy opportunities for creative expressions and the celebration of our community’s multicultural heritage. Our mission is to establish a cultural system that ensures that ALL Dallas citizens and visitors have an opportunity to experience the finest in arts and culture. More information on the programs and services provided by the OCA can be found at www.dallasculture.org.
Links to other media about SpectraScape and the design process at Dallas Main Street Garden Park