River of Lights is a large-scale, immersive LED installation originally commissioned for the 2022 Firefly Music Festival. Suspended above a 160-foot forested walkway between the Main Stage and Nest Stage, the piece transformed a transitional space into a vibrant, sensory experience.
Composed of 160 custom LED light tubes, the installation evokes the fluid motion of a river flowing overhead. The structure is supported by a custom-designed rigging net, seamlessly integrated into the natural tree canopy. Its minimalist, modular design allows for flexibility across different environments and site-specific adaptations.
The dynamic lighting programming brings the sculpture to life, using shifting patterns, pulses, and color gradients that react and evolve throughout the evening—creating a sense of movement, energy, and wonder.
Whether suspended in a wooded path, integrated into an urban corridor, or supported by a truss system, River of Lights offers a striking fusion of technology, nature, and spatial design—drawing audiences in and inviting them to look up, slow down, and reimagine the spaces they move through. The modular light tube system is highly adaptable and can be mounted on both vertical surfaces—such as poles or architectural columns—and horizontal planes like bridges or building facades. This versatility was demonstrated in the Bridge of Radiance iteration, where the tubes illuminated the full span of a bridge, transforming its structure into a radiant canvas of motion and color.
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River of Lights was inspired by my ongoing fascination with the expressive power of a single, linear element. As an artist, I’m continually drawn to the challenge of using minimal forms—like light tubes—to craft immersive environments that shift the way we perceive and move through space. This installation reimagines linear light as a flowing, sculptural current suspended above the viewer—transforming the act of walking from one place to another into a shared, sensory-rich journey.
Originally commissioned for the 2022 Firefly Music Festival, River of Lights spanned 160 feet, suspended within a forest canopy along a well-traveled path between two major stages. The piece invited festivalgoers to move beneath a glowing stream of dynamic, choreographed light—each animation designed to mirror the rhythm and energy of the surrounding environment.
What began as an overhead experience has since evolved into a modular system that can also wrap vertical surfaces, poles, and architectural elements—like it did in the Bridge of Radiance iteration, where it activated the structure of a bridge with motion and color, turning infrastructure into living art.
At its heart, River of Lights explores how simplicity—just a line of light—can transform the everyday into something extraordinary, and how thoughtful placement and programming can create emotional resonance in even the most transitional of spaces.
Footprint: 20ft wide x 160ft long
Height: 10ft
Electrical Draw: 12,000 watts
Weight: 1,100 lbs
Heavy Equipment: Boom/Scissor-lift
Other Notes: 3-4 day install. Needs a tree canopy or truss to hang the installation.
2022 Firefly Music Festival
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