Naughty delusions deceiving the senses, dazzling light installations and alternative light dimensions – Zsolnay Light Festival offers irresistible programs in Pécs once again between 4-7 July! The event will feature Artificial intelligence, an enchanted forest of light, and visitors can enter a world of dystopian sci-fi! Light will still act as a brush, while the canvas will be the entire city center, including some 30 locations.
Festivalgoers can find more and more similar types of events in many parts of the country, but the Zsolnay Light Festival launched in 2016 continues to make a unique attempt to transform a downtown-size space by means of light.
Zsolnay Light Festival, held for the 8th time, is already ranked among the top European light festivals by the international profession, and the number of visitors is expected to exceed 100,000 this year as well.
“Those who have not experienced something like this cannot even fathom what seemingly incomprehensible visual experiences can be brought to life by means of light”, says Márk Hummel, managing director of the festival organiser Zsolnay Heritage Management Non-profit Ltd.
Zsolnay Light Art Video Mapping Competition, the main attraction of the festival, features five works of three-dimensional, sound-accompanied, animated visual-art pieces, composed specifically for the façade of the Cathedral. This year's theme of the competition is the Rubik’s cube. In 2024, designer Ernő Rubik’s iconic 3D puzzle, the Rubik's cube, which has built a worldwide community, is going to be fifty years old.
Zsolnay Light Art 2023. / 1st price / MultiScalar (D): Confluentia
Just like every year, the Route of Light will offer an exceptional experience once again this year. Each of the captivating artworks of this special light route encompassing downtown Pécs will win visitors' hearts. Its 19 stations involve iconic buildings of the city center, but due to the ever-increasing interest, it had to be expanded to an even larger area. Thus, beyond the concert hall of the Kodály Centre, which debuted last year successfully, the universe of light stretches all the way to the Zsolnay Quarter.
The artists of The Route of Light reflect on today's topical subjects. Using artificial intelligence, the interiors of an exhibition venue can be transformed in an interactive way, while another work examines the current role of fire as an ancient element defining our civilization through augmented reality. Visitors will be able to admire the choreographed movement of hundreds of red-hot giant laser beams in the concert hall of Kodály Centre, while in the Árkád Pécs shopping mall, the story of the origin of life is going to be transformed into a virtual fantasy world on a 100 square meter LED wall, at the same time, Balokány Park is going to be converted into an enchanted forest of light.
Visitors to the festival will be able to travel without moving in the street where the entire pavement surface is set in motion beneath their feet, as an audiovisual projection through the aesthetics of the science fiction genre will offers a critical review to our general optimism associated with the advancement of modern technology.
The festival will bring not only digital artworks to downtown Pécs, but also exciting street theatre and contemporary circus performances during the day. The public squares of the city centre will feature really entertaining performances thanks to Argentinian, Australian, Catalan, Israeli, Czech and Hungarian artists, as well as skilful jugglers and acrobats.
The events of the festival and the attractions of the Route of Light presented in public spaces can be visited free of charge, while those presented in enclosed spaces, i.e., the Route of Light Extra venues can be viewed by purchasing a wristband. Early bird ticket sales will start May 9 at the following link: https://www.zsolnayfenyfesztival.hu/en/tickets
Zsolnay Light Festival 2023 aftermovie:
Pécs is the highlight of summer!
