ENCHANTED CIRCUIT installation by Clare Lynn, review by Idea13
It was intensively dark yet magical in the Hockley Woods last night, despite the waxing moon. As soon as we arrived at the car park, we could see the streaks of tiny lights in the woods in front of us and hear the voices ahead. Not being able to see the path, we followed it trustingly like in the Hansel & Gretel fairytale.
800 LED light in total, they were hang in strings from the trees as well as placed in glass jars which the visitors were encouraged to take away. We walked among the trees and the light, bewildered by the dreamlike quality of the experience. Excited shrieks of the kids and quiet, lonely, meditating figures moving slowly, taking care not to bump into one another.
Slightly jealous of those who equipped themselves with torches for the journey, I begun to think their experience was spoilt somehow. The installation wasn’t about the ability to see, quite the contrary, it was about what you imagine.
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It was such a magical experience, and such a lovely place to go on a Sunday evening for a stroll.
I liked the it that at first, when viewed from the carpark, the arrangment of the lights seemed chaotic, But as you walked towards them a gap emerged in the clusters of lights that lead you towards and area where the lights were arranged in vertical chains around a central area. This area was quite magical although I did wish that some of the verticals could have extended higher up and thus made a visual connection with the night sky. Very enjoyable though.
the moon spied through the trees and children giggled as they shined their torches
the lights moved in the breeze and made new shapes on the leafy ground
little lights in jars like captured fireflies
a familiar space transformed
it was beautiful
^_^
[...] A unique experience for young and old as they travel up and down these old steps. Claire has previously made large-scale installations on Southend beaches and last year in Hockley Wood – read IDEA13 review – click HERE. [...]