Cheriton Light Festival 2013

For the weekend of the 23-24 February the streets of the Kent Garrison town of Cheriton were brought alive with the very first Cheriton Light Festival.

Bringing light to the dull winter post Christmas months, Cheriton Lights got people looking at this small Folkestone suburb with fresh eyes. Strange Cargo was experimenting with how art could be utilised to change perceptions of familiar public environments and spaces.

Over the course of the event we witnessed everything from a giant mechanical firefly by artist Andrew Baldwin and fabulous light projections from artists Ross Ashton and Greg Stobbs, to hundreds of local school children flooding the streets with their handmade lanterns. The atmosphere was electric from start to end and was rounded off with a spectacular Phoenix sculptural bonfire and fireworks display.

Special thanks goes to everyone involved in the event and of course to everyone who braced the wintery cold to attend. The event has been supported by Arts Council England, Roger De Haan Charitable Trust, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Interreg European Funding, Shepway District Council and Kent County Council. The Cheriton Lights Festival was selected under the European cross-border cooperation programme INTERREG IV A France (Channel) - England, co-funded by the ERDF.

Saturday 23 February: Electricity

Centred around electricity, Saturdays programme brought a variety of international artists to Cheriton, as their artworks filled the streets. Combining mapped projections, sound installations, interactive art, sculptures and mechanical creations - the event was as varied as it was dazzling, offering a wide and exciting cultural offer for all ages.

Saturday's Artists:

Spiritus: Ross ashton and Karen Monid

World-renowned projection artist Ross Ashton in collaboration with sound artist Karen Monid produced a momentous work for Cheriton’s All Souls Church. Taking inspiration from the building’s features the pair constructed a piece that effected the building inside and out, bringing elements of the gothic architecture to life through projections whilst simultaneously allowing the churches interior to speak for itself. With support from Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

Rising Giant: Greg Stobbs and Kevin Francis

Projected onto the side of the chemists on Ilex Road, this film work by illustrator and street artist Greg Stobbs and animation expert Kevin Francis aims to capture the vivid imagination of a child as his curiosity and imagination runs wild. It is a wonderfully poetic and playful artwork that takes the viewer on a freeing journey from beginning to end.

Catch Me now: Tine Bech

Perfect for adult and child audiences alike, Bech’s interactive work utilises motion-activated technology and spotlights to keep its participants on their toes. Every time a light is caught it grows, allowing the captor to enter the spotlight and take centre stage.

Firefly: Andrew Baldwin

Master blacksmith, welder and artist Andrew Baldwin once again harnessed his limitless imagination to create a mechanical marvel for Cheriton Lights. Complete with a wingspan of 5 meters the artist giant mechanical firefly wowed audiences as it circumnavigated Cheriton High Street throughout the evening.

Strange Cargo and Step Short

In recognition of Cheriton’s status as a Garrison town Strange Cargo , in collaboration with Step Short initiative, brought an astounding archive to the festival. Working a portion of nearly 50,00 signatures of servicemen onto the side of Cheriton Baptist Church, who signed the visitors books at the Folkestone Harbor Canteen a they departed during the First World War.

Kaleidoscope: Terry Perk

Perks work for Cheriton lights combines the public and the personal, allowing glimpses into his very own house. Displayed through his front room window a phenomenal giant kaleidoscope distorts the interior of the room allowing the audience the opportunity to feast their eyed continuously shifting visual spectacular.

The Public Binoculars: Estelle Rosenfeld

Originally commissioned by Parrabolla for the Margate Host the Boat Project in 2012, this site-specific version made especially for Cheriton Lights allows its audience to see through walls and hills as they peep through a very unusual pair of traditional seaside binoculars.

Lampshades: the Purly Queens

Yarn bombers The Purley Queens decked the trees up and down Cheriton Hight Street with knitted lampshade, each unique and a triumph of knitted talent.

Wheely Groove: UCA and Rouen Animation

This peddle powered cinema kept the crowds warm as they cycled away to watch a collection of short animations by students from both UCA and Ecole Superieure D’Art & Design Le Havre/Rouen.

Fallen Memories: Gigi Yutsz

A fallen cloud was present on Cheriton High Street for one night only. Comprised of lights, glass and water this mesmerising sculpture pulls upon the reflective qualities of light offering the perfect space for its audience to reflect upon past memories.

Hinterland: Ecole Superieure D’Art and Design Le Harve/Rouen

Students from France graced the festival will a stall displaying a collection of their prints and 2D artworks.

Lightweight: Impossible Arts

Impossible Arts brought Cheriton Lights audience to the big screen, taking photos of their faces and then projecting them as animated characters from the all to see.

Laced with Light: Sally Penfold

Working with laced designs from the Calais Lace Museum in France, Sally Penfold created a series of fairytale like images that formed a light window trail around Cheriton. thank you to the twenty-five residents of Cheriton who generously allowed the images to be installed in their houses. With support from Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

Sunday 24th February: Fire

Sundays celebrations took fire as its main theme. Working with primary and secondary schools across the area Strange Cargo presented a large lantern parade led by the expert drumming of Batala Portsmouth and Bloco Fogo. Hundreds of people flooded to the streets to watch the parade as it made it’s way down Cheriton High Street, lighting a path and a leaving a trail of smiling faces as it went.

The evening was rounded off as the crowds entered Cheriton Recreational Ground to witness a phenomenal pyrotechnic display and the burning of a large sculptural bonfire in the shape of a phoenix, that lit the night alive almost as much as the energy reeling from all those who braced the cold to join us.