International artist lights up Leeds with fire balls

A COLLECTION of breath-taking sculptures illuminated by bright orange flames is set to fire the imaginations of visitors at this year’s Light Night Leeds.

The creations form part of a huge programme of installations inspired by the elements, which will be displayed across the city to mark the 12th annual Light Night festival.

The sculptures – which have been created by international artist, Aragorn Dick-Read will be placed in Queen Square next week.

Aragorn first began crafting his designs when a huge buoy washed up on the beach near his studio, which he cut out and lit up internally with fire.

Now the artist uses a plasma cutter to cut his hand-drawn designs into welded steel, Aragorn’s work has since been displayed across the world including in London, New York and Antigua.

His ‘Fire Ball’ designs will be a first for the city, aiming to inspire thousands of people to flock to the city centre.

Aragorn said: “Art serves as an international force that brings people together, so we can all try to better understand the human condition – and to live in peace. Festivals of art are an important tool to achieve this goal.”

He said his designs follow themes of a “primal and pastoral time, where humans lived closer to nature” and he draws inspiration from studying the world history of art, its role in society and his Virgin Island roots.

His elemental work will be counterbalanced elsewhere by a series of ice sculptures on Briggate, which will be on display at the same time.Entitled Ethereal Freeze, the frozen sculptures use ice and light to capture the beauty of the elements.

Light Night will feature more than 50 events in and around Leeds’ city centre and for the first time ever since starting in 2004, the festival will take place over two nights.