Computerized Light Sculpture is a form of art that’s been around for awhile, but never like this. Take a look at the Bay Lights on the East Bay Bridge here in San Francisco, an amazing sculptural piece of art.
San Francisco Bay Bridge Light Sculpture by Leo Villareal-AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
With 25,000 LED lights covering over 1.8 miles long and 500 ft. high, it’s a symphony of light that dances across the bay. The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge has been turned into the latest, and by far the biggest, backdrop for New York artist Leo Villareal, who has individually programmed the 25,000 white lights spaced a foot apart on 300 of the spans vertical cables to create what is being billed as the worlds largest illuminated sculpture.
Inspired by the Bay Bridge 75th anniversary The Bay Lights is a monumental tour de force eight times the scale of the Eiffel Tower’s 100th Anniversary lighting. Shining from dusk until 2:00 a.m. for two years, it will impact over 50 million people in the Bay Area, with billions more seeing it in the media and online.
Leo Villareal works from his computer on Pier 14 to sequence lights on the Bay Bridge on Sunday. Photo: James Tensuan-image via The Chronicle
The Bay Lights is presented by Illuminate the Arts, a San Francisco non-profit dedicated to the creation and presentation of community-activating public art. The privately funded project cost is estimated at $8 million; about $2 million are still needed. To give to The Bay Lights and take ownership in this terrific project, visit www.thebaylights.org.
Another really cool part about this whole art form to me is the testing of LED lighting, it’s cost and it’s longevity, on such a grand scale over this two year period. Here is the estimate:
Only $30 per night to light the Bay Bridge-image via The Bay Lights
To my local friends, have you seen the bridge yet? What do you think? And to everyone…It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Check out the video below to learn and see more. Cheers!
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