Leeds Light Night

Leeds Light Night provides people with a unique opportunity to explore Leeds in a once-a-year event of city-wide occurrences of light-related exhibitions. These include "spectacular" light projections, installations, film, dance, music, theatre and street performances. The festival is spread across 10 "zones," splitting the city into sectors where different significant exhibitions can be seen. These locations include Millennium Square, Town Hall, Train Station, Victoria Gardens, The Headrow, Briggate, Quary Hill, Universities , South Bank and First Direct Arena.

First Direct Arena.

Although I attended the event last year, this year I managed to explore many more zones, seeing a wider variety of works and light-displays. The highlight of the night for me experiencing the alternating forms and shapes exhibited through bright, vivid colours. I am very much inspired by colour and its significance in design, how its used and the context behind the use of particular shades and tones and the effect these have on the eyes and perception of what's being communicated.

Light Night has inspired me to try and be braver in the use of colour in my own practice, as although I am passionate about colour I have a tendency to produce work with a monochromatic visual language. I want to push the boundaries I have unconsciously created for myself to be able to create a  greater, more visually diverse portfolio of work that shows my ability to produce design for a range of differentiating clients and sectors. 

The event influenced me to browse my collection of Victon:ary Palette books, exploring monochromatic, metallic, multi-colour, neon and pastel uses of colour within the industry. By reacquainting myself with the designers and works featured in these books I believe I will be able to produce a more varied selection of ideas and concepts, something I wouldn't have been able to do had Light Night not inspired me to have a look at them once again.