Lumiere 2021 > Penshaw Monument, Sunderland, England, UK

 

Viewing Point : Herrington Country Park (With kind permission of National Trust)

 

A beautiful and haunting memorial to those we have lost to Covid on this North East landmark

A Telling of Light is a special new commission to memorialise and commemorate the huge number of lives lost to Covid in the UK during the course of the pandemic, the work will reflect and recognise the magnitude of this loss and specifically the loss of breath. This contemplative piece will be visible from up to 20 miles away. It will incorporate a multiplicity of abstracted landscape scenes changing into single illuminated breaths, rising up the pillars of the Penshaw Monument and disappearing into the dark of the night. These visually compelling sequences will be accompanied by the hauntingly beautiful music that focuses in on Hildagard von Bingen, the 12th-century mystic and visionary and one of the earliest-known female composers. The soundtrack will be available for audiences to download to listen to at a distance as they view the piece.

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I remember it well, as I was delivering some canvas prints to Penshaw Tea Rooms and as I was leaving, I couldn't help but notice the projections on Penshaw Monument. It looked like the event staff were testing the installations, so I quickly headed home, before returning shortly afterwards with my camera and tripod. 

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I headed into Herrington Park, where the projection tower had been set up. My first observations were quite spectacular. I hadn't seen Penshaw Monument lit up anywhere near as impressive as this and there was even an accompanying soundtrack! What more could you possibly ask for.

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I returned the following night and captured as many variations of the theme that I possibly could. I shot from inside Herrington Park, before moving on to the foot of Penshaw Hill. From there I made my way up the steps and shot from a few different positions, before ending the night at the very top of the hill, behind the Monument itself.

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It was a memorable experience and the highlight was undoubtedly the pairing of visuals with an amazing soundtrack, featuring church bells and Gregorian Chants. Amazing !!!