Signal ready to light up

The fourth annual Signal festival of light art runs from Oct. 13 to 16 in Prague 1, 2 and 3. There will be some 23 installations and artworks by artists from 11 countries. Two-thirds of them will be world premieres.

The organizers promise a wide range of installations and projections. “Last year the installations were more intimate and darker in tone. This year we decided to make Signal more colorful and diverse. People can look forward to installations in large spaces and projects that will impress everyone. Videomappings and interactive installations are waiting for children and adults,” festival director Martin Pošta said.

Last year the festival attracted 400,000 people, and since its beginning it has had more than 1 million.

Projections and installations will mostly be open from 7 pm to midnight, with an additional children's program during the day at the festival dome on Klarov, next to metro Malostranská. The same location is also one of several festival centers where people can buy programs and souvenirs like T-shirts. Details of each installation and a map can be found on a free smartphone app. This year, there will be WiFi hotspots at several of the installations so people don't need to waste their data plans.

The inflatable Signal dome is the only installation to require tickets. There are three different shows in the evening: Hidden Towers by The Macula, Morphogenesis by Can Buyukberber and Yagmur Uyanik, and Omnis by Maotik. For children in the day, the program is about the history of Charles IV.

The festival has two main loops in the city center, plus installations at náměstí Míru, náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad and Karlovo náměstí.

The videomapping at the Church of St Ludmilla at náměstí Míru is traditionally one of the most popular. This year it will be Point Line Surface Solid by German artist Daniel Rossa. The show explores four design elements mentioned in the title.

Other videomappings include Voice of Figures by Radugadesign at Kinský Palace at Old Town Square. The project uses “big data” as its starting point. Tyršův dům at Újezd will have a 3-D videomapping called Mutis by Tigrelab. This project is a tribute to the Spanish explorer, botanist, and mathematician José Celestino Mutis and presents unknown animal species. The show is best seen with red-and-blue 3-D glasses, which can be purchased.

There are three interactive installations. Strings by David Vrbík is at the Klementinum. It is a cross between a musical instrument and art object. Reflection Studies / Interactive Edition by Zachary Lieberman at Cihelná lets people paint using light. Light Sowers by Maotik at Vojanovy sady is inspired by communication among fireflies.

The balance of the projects are installations. Fantastic Planet at by Amanda Parer be in several parts, at Karlovo náměstí, náměstí Jana Palacha, Kampa and Střelecký ostrov. It has figures inspired by a Czech animated film. Karlovo náměstí will have another project, Garden in Development by Javier Riera, which uses geometric figures. Kampa will also have Dron~list by Jakub Nepraš. It is inspired by works of Leonardo da Vinci.

A cluster of installations are near the National Theatre. The newly renamed plaza at the National Theatre, náměstí Václava Havla, will have Loop by Michal Pustějovský. It resembles a large hourglass. Across the street at the Academy of Science there are two installations, Event Horizon at Dávid Sivý and Klangfarbe by Juha Rouhikoski.

At Palác Národní the Tundra collective will present Epicenter v.2 powered by Robe. It is described as a surreal installation of flashes of light and terrifying sounds.

Náměstí Republiky has Brocken 5.1 by Japanese artist Yasuhiro Chida. It re-creates an optical illusion sometimes seen at high altitudes. The group Hyberbinary has created a Monolith powered by Mercedes-Benz for Pařížská street. It absorbs surrounding light sources and transforms them into a digital show.

Noisescape V2 by Finnish artist Teemu Määttänen will be at náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad. The static shape uses lighting to create various impressions of spaces.

There is also a side program of workshops and other projects including events at La Loca Music Bar & Lounge, Cross Club and DOX.

The festival is one of the most important of its kind, both in the Czech Republic and on the international stage.

This year Prague and the Ministry of Culture have included Signal among the top priority cultural events taking place in Prague and the Czech Republic. The newly formed International Light Festival Organization has chosen its director, Martin Pošta, as its president.

For a complete schedule visit www.signalfestival.com