SPECTRA: Scotland’s Festival of Light lands in Aberdeen

SPECTRA lands in Aberdeen for its 11th year and dazzles like never before. 

February is a month of dark evenings. Sunset is getting later by the day, but they are still cold and dark. 

But the light in all of that darkness this month is SPECTRA. Returning to the Granite City with 15 bright and colourful installations, Scotland’s Festival of Light is here to set these winter nights aglow once again.

With installations by talented artists hailing from the UK and Australia, the festival of light spreads across the city centre from Marischal College to Union Terrace Gardens bringing the theme of ‘Voyage’ to every artwork.

Credit: Ian Georgeson

Children of the 70s, 80s and 90s rejoice as your favourite rainbow-coloured, stair-creeping spring toy returns, this time at a large scale. The glowing multicoloured coil of the giant slinky cascades down from two containers in a flowing motion that gives the illusion that it is moving.

In fact, you can catch five of this year’s artworks on Broad Street – four just outside Marischal College, including a 50m long multi-sensory walkway and the iconic Aberdeen letters, with another by Provost Skene’s House just through the walkway between Marischal Square.  

Traverse St Nicholas Kirkyard to see the stunning mycelium network sprawling in technicolour around the graves before marvelling at the projection that lights up the spire.

Credit: Ian Georgeson

Credit: Ian Georgeson

For the jewel in SPECTRA’s crown visit Union Terrace Gardens where Sky Castle by Australian artists ENESS sits proudly in the centre inviting eventgoers to wind their way through the towering arches of light that respond to their presence, shifting from one colour to another and playing melodic xylophone music to create the ultimate colourful soundscape.

Also in Union Terrace Gardens is, what I feel to be, the most beautifully haunting installation SPECTRA has featured. Upon the hillside benches are 60 boxes, lit from within by coloured light. Pulsing in the dark, these boxes represent one of 60 Aberdonians, the light matching the captured rhythm of their heartbeats. This is The Matter of the Heart and is here to remind us of the power of spirit and community.

Credit: Ian Georgeson

The festival definitely captures the magic of ‘Voyage’ be it through nautical references to tie into the Tall Ships coming to Aberdeen later this year, the travelling of messages through the mycelium network and the physical voyage through space and time.

SPECTRA will be in Aberdeen until 9 February.

For more information on the event, a full list of installations and to view a map to make sure you don’t miss any of the stunning installations visit www.spectrafestival.com

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