Last week, I visited the annual event at Canary Wharf known as Winter Lights, which place in January to bring some colour and light into this depressing time of the year. The event kicked off in the third week of January and ends the first full weekend in February so is a little bit later than previous years. I have been visiting this event since 2016, and I always enjoy seeing the different light sculptures. This year, there are twelve temporary ones. Keep reading below to see the sculptures in the 2025 installment of Canary Wharf Winter Lights.
I grabbed a pistachio hot chocolate to enjoy while I went to see the light installations. The weather was not nearly as cold as the previous week, so I was warm enough.
"Evanescent Droplets" by Atelier Sisu. Inside the fountain at Cabot Place are giant bubbles or balls that light up and change light and colour set to soundscape.
"Positive Spin" by Liz Harry and Kazimier Productions. This is a machine that is inspired by the arcades and spin machines, and each button stops th machine to show a different positive message to the viewer.
"Lightbenches" by LBO Lichtback. These light benches are part of the permanent collection and are interactive; they change and cycle through the different colours.
"Bird Passing By" by Luminariste. This light sculpture shows a skeleton or bones and features a bird-like shape made of lights that flies through the sculpture, the bones lighting up.
"Illusion Hole" by UxU Studio. This artwork is located in the dock and gives the appearance of a whirlpool or black hole.
"bit.fall" by Julius Popp. This permanent light installation is made using water that cascades down and forms a word taken from media and news sources.
"The Clew" by Ottotto. This red light sculpture is part of the permanent art at Canary Wharf. It's located on a bridge and encourages people to walk through it.
"Aj Vana Be" - Benedikt Tolar. This sculpture is made of stacked bath tubs with glowing lights that sync to music. The artwork brings to the attention the need to protect and conserve water sources.
"Stitching Light" by Rahul Abdin and Oitij-jo. This series of lit-up artwork is about real life stories from Bangledshi women who came to England, and the series of illustrations demonstrates the stories. It is created using fabric from clothing.
"Wave" by Squidsoup. This group have hosted many of their installations at previous events, and they always bring in the crowds to see the interactive and picturesque light installations. This one was high above heads with colours changing in waves in all the colours of the rainbow.
"Circa" by Limbic Cinema. This sculpture was displayed last year in a different format. The sculpture brings together our association with the natural light and darkness and cycles.
"Shine Your Colours" by Tine Bech. This permanent installation was created for th summer lights that was part of a series for a couple of years. For the winter light event, they are illuminated.
These light trees were on display as a bonus and appeared in previous years.
"Error" by Vendel & de Wolf. This spinning cycling light sculpture speaks about the unknown and has an eerie quality about it. It appears to spin and looks good against the skyline.
"We Could Meet" by Martin Richman. This permanent art installation is made with acrylic rods and changes colour and frequency throughout the day.
"Elantica The Bounder" by Tom and Lien Dekyvere. This sculpture is part of the permanent collection and is made from disused circuit boards.
"Captivated by Colour" by Camille Walala. This bridge artwork is part of the permanent collection and the colours illuminate.
"Artificial Humans" by Atelier Haute Cuisine. This art light installation was created by AI generator as an experiment to create a light art installation and these illuminated humans were the result. The figures all are in the same pose and appear to be looking down at their hands and remind me a little of zombies.
"Mirage" by Atelier Sisus. This immersive artwork changes colours and demonstrates the relationship with social media based on our own individual perceptions or where we stand in relation to the sculpture, which can viewed at different angles and positions as the viewer interacts with it.
"PORTAL" by Licid Creates. This is a huge doorway or portal that stands 13 meters tall, and the lights inside glow and slightly change colour, and the mirrors reflect more light. It is highly interactive and encourages people to step through it.
I visited Emelia's restaurant for fresh pesto pasta and a spicy margarita. I had a salted caramel hot chocolate before I headed back out, though this was a bit too milky and not strong enough to please me. The margarita and pasta were delicious.
Previous years of Winter Lights can be seen below:
Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2024
Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2023
Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2022 - cancelled
Canary Wharf "Connected by Light" 2021
Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2020
Canary Wharf Winter Lights 2019
Winter Lights @ Canary Wharf 2018
Canary Wharf Winter Lights (2017)a
Winter Lights @ Canary Wharf (2016)
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