Swiss artist Dan Acher talks to Tatler about the process behind creating the stunning phenomenon at West Kowloon Art Park
As the sun sets below the Victoria Harbour skyline, an eerie streak of green and purple light shoots across the Great Lawn in West Kowloon Cultural District’s Art Park and breaks the darkness of the night. The mist adds a veil of mystery to this beautiful sight.
But don’t worry—it’s not doomsday or a sign of global warming that you are seeing aurora borealis or northern lights in Hong Kong when the phenomenon can only be seen from northern polar countries such as Sweden, Finland, Russia and Canada. This illusion, Borealis, is created by Swiss artist Dan Acher, who uses digitally controlled green, blue and purple laser lights that change in intensity with the weather and outdoor conditions of West Kowloon.
Acher is the founder of Switzerland-based Happy City Lab that creates large-scale site-specific installations. This is the artist’s first show in Hong Kong, which is being displayed as a part of SerendiCity, the finale programme of West Kowloon Cultural District’s art tech festival Creative Tomorrow.
Addressing the press on the opening day, West Kowloon Cultural District’s Performing Arts Executive Director Paul Tam said, “Bring a blanket and a bottle. It would be a perfect date night to look up to the sky for the northern lights”.
Tatler speaks with Acher to learn about the installation and how the shared experience of appreciating art can bring people closer together.
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