Turning Ambient Light Into Art
The article called "This Unique Light Art Installation is Subtly Raising Awareness About Light Pollution by Swita Uancharoenku" talks about a light art installation created for Bangkok Design Week 2024 called "Through the Looking Prism". This artwork was created by lighting designer Yusuke Hattori and architectural designer Takanao Todo. The purpose behind the installation explores how light can be used as an artistic material without producing additional artificial light. The installation uses the light that is already present in the surrounding city instead of adding more illumination. Which makes us think if there is a way we can enhance the light of the moon or the surrounding light in parking lots to create additional light for specific area.
Unlike traditional light installations that rely on external sources, Through the Looking Prism is designed to work exclusively with ambient light. By harnessing the city’s natural and artificial illumination, the installation creates a dynamic experience that changes with the time of day and the movement of its surroundings.
As visitors move around the installation, their silhouettes merge with the fragmented reflections, creating a play of light and form. The ever-changing display invites contemplation on perception and interpretation as familiar scenes are deconstructed and reconstructed through the prism glass.
Each meticulously crafted glass prism pixelates and diffracts the surrounding light, acting as a conduit for artistic expression and inviting viewers to explore the dynamic interplay of light, space, and perception.
The main feature of the installation is a wall containing 300 glass prisms. These prisms interact with the existing light around the Chao Phraya River. As the light passes through the glass, it is broken apart and reflected into different colors and shapes. The appearance of the installation therefore changes depending on the time of day, the movement of people, boats, and other activity around it. Instead of simply looking at a light source people are encouraged to think about how light changes the way they understand and experience their surroundings.
This project highlights the importance of sustainability and critiques the widespread energy consumption of night festivals by demonstrating how urban light can serve as a medium for art. Without adding any artificial lighting, Through the Looking Prism showcases the beauty of existing illumination while subtly raising awareness about light pollution.
Built with a stainless-steel frame, the structure is designed to be both durable and adaptable. While its first iteration is in Bangkok, the designers hope to take the installation to cities worldwide. Each new location would bring its unique lightscape, allowing the artwork to take on new meanings and interpretations in its surroundings.
One of the most important ideas in the project is that art does not always need to consume more energy to create an impressive experience. Many nighttime festivals and light installations require large amounts of artificial lighting, which can contribute to unnecessary energy use and light pollution. Through the Looking Prism takes a different approach by transforming existing urban light into something artistic. In this way, the installation makes people more aware of the amount of light already surrounding them without directly creating another source of illumination. This type of art installation makes us think about how as designers we can make things to address environmental issues through creative experiences rather than simply presenting information about a problem. By using existing light instead of adding more the installation encourages viewers to notice the artificial and natural light already present in an urban environment.
References
Grammarly. (n.d.). https://www.grammarly.com/
Hattori, Y., & Uancharoenkul, S. (2025, February 23). This unique light art installation is subtly raising awareness about light pollution. D5 MAG – Design Magazine. https://d5mag.com/this-unique-light-art-installation-is-subtly-raising-awareness-about-light-pollution/
