Weekender: Art installation lights up Grade-I listed city centre building

A new art installation is set to light up the Grade-I listed Corn Exchange in Leeds city centre.

The work has been commissioned by property developer Rushbond and will be unveiled to coincide with Light Night Leeds.

The annual event is one of the UK’s largest annual arts and light festivals which is taking place over two nights on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 October from 6pm until 11pm.

Named ‘The Course of Days’, the art installation uses digital technology to explore the changing seasons and the rhythms of passing time.

The installation has been created by Output Arts, which is a partnership between Andy D’Cruz and Jonathan Hogg, who specialise in creating audio-visual installations that draw on natural environmental conditions and phenomena, with the assistance of arts advisor Kerry Harker.

Throughout The Corn Exchange’s restoration process, Rushbond has been committed to enhancing the building’s future, whilst also linking back to its heritage and exchange culture of the 1800’s.

Kerry Harker explained: “Using light and sound to reflect time gave us the vision for this creative installation, which will support the extravaganza that is Light Night Leeds and create a unique, contemporary experience for anyone entering The Corn Exchange.

“Designed to inspire people’s imaginations and encourage them to think about how we exchange our thoughts, memories, talents and experiences in everyday life, the installation and future programme of activities planned for The Corn Exchange will hopefully see it become a real hub for 21st Century cultural exchange.”

Georgina Maud, creative assistant at Rushbond, added: “Having recently secured consent to light up The Corn Exchange’s famous roof dome, we also wanted to celebrate the creative advancement of our restoration work with this special art installation in the building’s main visitor entrance.

“We hope it will not only enhance people’s experience of entering such a significant and historic place, but reflect an exciting future for the Corn Exchange lead by innovative, collaborative design based projects.”

Andy D’Cruz from Output Arts also said: “The piece uses gathered seasonal field recordings spanning the year and combines these with a palette of animated light and colour to reflect the dynamism of the British weather, the clamour of the animal kingdom and the pulse of rural human activity.

“We have used technology to bring these notions of the landscape into the heart of the city, with the aim of reminding everyone of the agricultural past on which The Corn Exchange was built.”

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