Memory Light was a visual homage to music and sound created by my alter ego, Cristina Reyes. She brought together a bespoke collection of found objects to create a massive chandelier hanging from a 6m high ceiling. The piece was commissioned by a private Sound Art venue in the iconic Leake St tunnel in Waterloo.
Reyes was asked to come up with a light installation for the entrance of the venue as a celebration of sound and the history of music. She put together a group of selected old instruments, music devices and other utensils found on the streets of London, flea markets and auctions. With them, Reyes created coloured bespoke lamps, using items that would normally create sound to be the holders of light.
The group forms a chandelier of 3.20 m in length. A metal mesh of 2 x 2 metres holds the fifty one elements that compose the piece, twenty four of them acted as points of light. A mishmash of limbs and tools held some of the bulbs. Three motors kept a few objects in constant rotation and a big ’70s disco light flashed while three televisions remained on, in a loop.
In addition, a 3 x 3 metres wall, underneath, was composed of sixteen mirrors, six lenses, three lights and a record player constantly moving, held by a pair of mannequin legs. The reflective elements acted as multipliers of the light and invited the viewer to immerse themselves in this colourful world of inanity. On the opposite side, a figure of a lady in a hat acted as a point of light welcoming the visitors into the venue.
Memory Light was created and installed on site with Rob Eagle as technical assistant.
