Sparks Will Fly is a light installation created for Copenhagen Light Festival, co-produced with students from TEC in collaboration with the educational platform GNIST and HOFOR. The aim of the project was to give students at a technical college—particularly those training as electricians—the opportunity to explore creative expression while showcasing their technical skills at the highest possible level. I had the pleasure of teaching the students about light art, both practically, theoretically, and conceptually, and of guiding them through the creative process—from the initial sketches to the completed work.

The light installation Sparks Will Fly was designed and built by the students themselves during January 2025. The work was exhibited at Copenhagen Light Festival from January 31 to February 23, 2025, and was located along the harbour promenade in Copenhagen’s inner city.

The visual pattern of the work was designed by the students, with the lights arranged in an upward-shifting, stepped sequence that wraps around the entire mobile platform (the site trailer). During the construction phase, students from the carpentry, painting, electrician, and metalworking programs all contributed to the realization of the installation. The color sequence, which runs continuously around the platform, was selected by the painting students, while the carpentry students were responsible for the structural construction. The electrician students handled the cabling and installation of lamps and light sources, and the metalworking students contributed to the technical and structural elements.

Special thanks to Sara, Cecilie, and Simone from GNIST, Jane from TEC, HOFOR and TEC—and, most importantly, to all the students who contributed to the creation and realization of the project.

Photos by:

Kim Høltermand (https://www.instagram.com/holtermand/)        

Links:
https://gnist.show
https://tec.dk/tec-frederiksberg/
https://copenhagenlightfestival.org/
https://www.hofor.dk/