That Feeling of Merging with Something Greater

I remember a time when I thought going to a museum was the only way to view beautiful artwork. As I got more involved in the art world in college, I realized I had been wrong. Art is everywhere! Sculptures, murals, installations and designs can be found everywhere outside the walls of a museum and we see it becoming more integrated into science, nature and many other fields of study while becoming more interactive and engaging daily.

In this interwoven world of art, British artist Bruce Munro has filled Pennsylvania’s Longwood Gardens with six large-scale- outdoor- site-specific lighting installations. Munro also designed work for the grand conservatory with two indoor lighting projects and multiple lighting sculptures in the music room. Longwood Gardens is known as the world’s premier horticulture showplace, which boasts lush gardens, flawless landscaping and rich history. The blending of Munro’s innovative installations with the lavish gardens is a first for the United States and sounded to me like perfection. If there are two things in art I enjoy, it’s light installations and suspended pieces… so me being excited was an understatement.

I entered the gardens about an hour before dusk with a small group. The staff, friendly and knowledgeable, directed us to the first installation site Arrow Spring: Beyond Flower Garden Walk. The 300-foot bending trail of sage, fiber optics, and sculptural spheres cascades down the hillside naturally, creating 15,000 points of light. It felt as if I was downriver of a magical river of light.

 A short walk away, we found ourselves in awe of Field of Light. Small Lake as the sun began to set and my excitement began to rise. Of the six outdoor installations, this was my second favorite. I felt at peace as my eyes scanned the far bank of the small lake that was filled with softly lit spheres from water’s edge to the hilltop. 

The 7,000 frosted glass spheres are densely scattered along the bank with soft blues, pinks and greens. As I remained still, taking in the beauty, a color transformation swept across the globes which appeared to be living and breathing. Among the water lilies and bullfrogs, the water’s reflection extended the lights further towards me and it looked just whimsical. Munro formed a seamless marriage of light and nature in the perfect dose to delight me yet leave me wanting more. As the group moved on without me, I took one last look so I could remember this dreamy moment. This site is divine.

            

           As we moved on our adventure, we found ourselves walking down a softly lit path, unaware of our destination. As we emerged in an open field, I was delighted to see huge towers of color scattered everywhere. I lost my group as I was captivated with curiosity to discover what these towers were. 

Water Towers: Meadow at Hourglass Lake are sixty- nine multi colored pillars lined with recycled bottles filled with water and fiber optics. The color of the fiber-optics change color with the sound being projected from them allowing the viewer to experience sound translated into color and back. I walked aimlessly, immersing myself among the lights and sounds. This site was more interactive than the last and I enjoyed watching kids dance and move about among the towers that projected an energy that everyone could feel.

Photo courtesy of Longwood Gardens

          There was no sunlight left in the sky as we made our way into the woods on a dimly lit path heading towards what looked like the heavens. Forest of Light: Forest Walk quickly became my favorite installation of Munro’s. I felt I was leaving earth to spend time in another world. I was mesmerized by the illuminated globes of glass that lined the winding path through the dense forest of trees. The globes, filled with a twisted fiber optic strand, changed color subtly like a breeze had swept across them. 

            As I walked along the path, the atmosphere grew darker and the light spheres appeared brighter. It was so dark that you could barely see the others around and although I knew they were there, it felt like they weren’t. Somehow the public exhibition felt like a personal experience and the 22,000 lights were all for my viewing. I was floating deep in a magical world that seemed so far from anything I had ever experienced. All around me, as far as I could see was organic light that was alive and it was breathtaking. I could not find the end of the path but I enjoyed feeling that there was no end to my hidden world. I already knew I would be back again soon and maybe then I would find myself at the other end of the most magical place I had experienced.

The pairing of Longwood Gardens with Bruce Munro’s installations is perfection. From entrance to exit Munro illuminates the gardens with magic and charm that feels like you’re deep in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream or a fairy tale from childhood. I highly recommend this as the tri-stateare's event of the summer that is not to be missed! Whether you bring children or a date, Munro's installations are sure to ignite everyone's child inside. 

-Briana

Outside the Entrance

"Snowballs" as they change in color

"Snowballs" are suspended from the ceiling in the grand conservatory

"Gnasher's Raspberry" sculpture in the music room

For more information visit http://www.longwoodgardens.org/

Unless noted, all photography by Briana Marrocco