Light fantastic: ‘Borealis’ art show illuminates Hong Kong night sky
- ‘Borealis’, created by Swiss artist Dan Acher, was designed to mimic the spectacular real-life Aurora Borealis, seen in the northern hemisphere near the Arctic Circle
- Onlookers praise the show in the West Kowloon Cultural District, which will run until early March
A “Northern Lights” display lit up Hong Kong’s night sky at the premiere of a large-scale outdoor art show by a Swiss artist designed to mimic the natural phenomenon.
Dan Acher’s installation, “Borealis”, a light and sound display based on the Northern Lights, colourful displays in vivid colours seen in the night sky in the northern hemisphere, was unveiled on Monday.
City residents watched in awe at the event’s debut in the West Kowloon Cultural District and onlookers used smartphones and digital cameras to capture the streaks of light projected onto mist dispersed in the air.
A photography enthusiast, who identified herself only by the surname Fung, said the display did a good job of replicating the real Northern Lights.
The 45-year-old said she had travelled to Iceland last month and had seen the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, in person.
“Lots of people might not be able to see the Northern Lights when they go to Iceland, others might not even have the chance to go there, so this is a very realistic replication for most people,” she said.
“I would say it is 70 per cent of the real thing. Of course, there are some spots where it breaks apart … it is also not as colourful.”
Zero Ma, a 35-year-old construction foreman, said the lights were a stopgap solution until he could see the real Northern Lights.
“With the border being closed for several years we couldn’t travel, so this will be able to help a bit,” Ma said.
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The installation also gave some couples a novel way to celebrate St Valentine’s Day, on Tuesday, a little early.
University students Francis Marray and Josie Lee, both 25, watched the display together as a “special” way to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
“We just wanted something outdoors instead of just going to a fancy restaurant like everyone else,” Lee said.
But 29-year-old amusement park ride technician Ryan Choi said the display did not match his expectations and he would probably not revisit the attraction.
“I think it is fairly mediocre, it really was not the effect that I imagined,” he said.
The show, on the great lawn of the West Kowloon Cultural District’s Art Park, will be activated between 7pm and 10pm every night until March 5.
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The installation has toured more than 30 cities around the world, including London, Geneva and Tokyo.
The intensity and hue of the lights will change with the weather and the natural environment in the city to offer viewers a unique experience every time.
The multicoloured light show was brought to Hong Kong as part of the “SerendiCity” media arts festival, an event that aims to showcase new perspective on art, urban environments, people and technology.
The Aurora Borealis is mostly seen in areas closest to the Arctic Circle – Iceland, northern parts of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Russia, Canada and Alaska, as well as southern Greenland, but it can extend as far south as Scotland.
The spectacular lights, caused by solar storms colliding with the Earth’s magnetic field, were named after Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn, and Boreas, the Greek god of the northern wind.
