'Play' at the Liverpool River of Light Festival

The concept of ‘play’ in art taps into creativity, interaction and exploration. In many artistic contexts play allows for freedom from conventional structures and enables both artists and audiences to engage in experimental, often collaborative experiences.

This last week, Liverpool hosted the ‘River of Light’ festival again and this year's theme was play. It features twelve large-scale, interactive light installations along the city’s waterfront. The artworks have been designed and produced by artists around the globe; produced to inspire creativity, interaction and joy.

I visited the festival and started the 3km art trail at the Bunch of Tulips. 

This artwork by Koros Design inflates tulips to a monumental size, recalling the historical 'tulipmania' of the 1630s. The colourful installation combines elements of pop art, where the sheer quantity, size and colour of the tulips reflect and celebrates both the flowers beauty and consumer culture of mass consumption. The tulips are a playful, kitschy take on a historical and widely recognised symbol sited right next to the Liverpool One shopping area.

The next artwork is No Place Like Gnome.

This artwork was designed by Amigo & Amigo. The pieces invite viewers on a whimsical journey; the gnomes have travelled to Liverpool and are exploring one of the landmarks, taking photos etc. Embracing the essence of global adventure, every gnome carries its own distinctive character and narrative.

The next artwork is Checkmate.

Also, created by Amigo & Amigo this piece, Checkmate, brings the universal appeal of chess to public spaces, making it accessible to all ages and cultures. Each piece represents a unique "mini sculpture" with specific moves, drawing people into a reflective and strategic experience. Inspired by the Bauhaus movement, the artwork celebrates the intersection of creativity and functionality, transforming chess into a large-scale, interactive display that invites viewers on an intellectual and artistic journey

The next piece is Firefly Field, located at Our Lady and St Nicholas Church Garden.

Firefly Field is an enchanting light installation by Studio Toer that mimics the movement of fireflies with clusters of glowing, darting LED lights that hover just above the ground. Reflecting the natural bioluminescence of Lampyridae, these dynamic lights create a constantly shifting scene across the grass. The minimalist design uses specially developed LED light points that move in unpredictable, lifelike patterns, capturing the essence of firefly movement. The artwork first premiered at VIVID Sydney in 2019 and has since been showcased globally.

Crossing over the road to the waterfront, is the next artwork Impulse, designed by Lateral Office & CS Design .

Impulse is designed to transform public spaces into vibrant, interactive playgrounds with an illuminated twist on a classic: see-saw. This installation consists of a series of see-saws/teeter-totters that respond to riders' movements, generating fluctuating light and sound in response. As visitors engage, they create a continually renewing environment that merges play with art. Inspired by the musical technique of serialism, it creates varied zones of intensity and calm, crafting an organised yet dynamic experience. It’s an invitation to play, laugh, and connect, fostering a shared sense of joy and community.

Next is the Piano Walk created by Amigo & Amigo.

Piano Walk invites participants into a unique musical journey. This installation includes 40 interactive keys and piano hammers, which strike the strings when played. Inspired by the piano’s intricate interior craftsmanship, the artists focused on highlighting the beauty of its details, materials, and colours through a refined design. Encouraging musical exploration, Piano Walk lets participants jump across the oversized keys, turning each step into part of a collective, dynamic performance that brings the installation to life.

Just across is one of the docks filled with another installation, Bubblesque by Atelier Sisu.

This artwork is designed to invoke a sense of curiosity and play and has been specifically made for the bodies of water around Mann Island on the Docks. The bubbles overflow the water onto the pavement, reminiscent of a bubble bath. Each bubble, when touched, change colour; each cycling through a series of curated sequences. When they are static, they gently flow through colour gradients.

Housed inside a glass passageway is the next installation, Rangoli Mirrored Cosmos by MURUGIAH.

This installation consists of fibreglass structures that are 1.8m tall. The internal face of each is meant to be reflective and all face a central light. This sculpture was originally installed as part of the London Design Festival last year.

The next artwork is Illusion Hole by UxU Studio.

This artwork uses meteor lights to explore how visitors perceive movement and light. The installation creates a geometric arrangement that gives the stunning illusion of water flowing into a mysterious black hole. UxU Studio designed this piece to challenge perceptions, asking viewers to question if what they see—the flowing water beneath the light—is real or simply an illusion. By blurring the lines between reality and illusion, Illusion Hole invites us to explore deeper questions about the boundaries of truth and perception. Continuing around the Royal Albert Dock is the next artwork, Positive Spin. Unfortunately, due to the crowds, I didn't get to see this one. The idea behind this piece is a 5.5m tall arcade machine that gives out positive fortunes.

At the entrance to the docks is the next installation, Lightbattle III.

To interact with this piece you can either jump on one of the bicycles or use the hand pedals (used to make it more accessible for everyone). The installation features two interactive arches of light, with six bicycles each other from opposite sides. You pedal as fast as you can, with the speed of you cycling causing the lights to intensify in colour. The fastest cyclist is rewarded with a dazzling burst of light, adding to the thrill of the competition.

The last artwork is called LAPS by Olivier Landreville.

This piece is a modern take on the traditional hourglass that gives us the opportunity to literally take control of time. From the top of their 7.8 ft, the 6 giant modules invite the public to change time by turning the steering wheel at their desired pace, in one direction or the other, and to take another look at their perception of time. Time catchers are rewarded with a sound and light experience that inspires immediate wonder.

Reflection of the Experience:

The artworks are very impressive, however, the council has had to interfere with the installations due to health and safety and crowd control. This has severely impacted the element of play that the art trail is trying to explore. Examples:

• Impulse - it felt more like queuing for a ride than playing at a playground. All the see-saws were fenced off and surrounded by security. You queued in quite a substantial queue to 'play' on the see-saw for a set time determined by the security team
• Piano Walk - this was designed for people to jump on and off the keys like you would with a piano. Again, this had been fenced off and had security letting people on to the piano to walk the whole length in a queue; diminishing the element of play.
• Bubblesque - this artwork was designed to be touched and interacted with. This had been completely fenced off to be viewed from a distance eliminating the play interaction with the piece.