Zorlu Center hosting Istanbul Light Fest

ISTANBUL

Turkey’s first light festival, which started on Nov. 13 at Istanbul’s Zorlu Center, will continue through Nov. 29.

More than 20 world-renowned light artists will be contributing to the festival curated by Rebecca Mendez, the head of the Media Art Department at the Los Angeles-based university, UCLA.

“Using Istanbul’s premier destination as its canvas, 23 high-tech light art installations transform the Zorlu Center temporarily into the world’s largest public art gallery, lighting up the night’s sky, visible from across the Bosphorus,” the organizers said.

The festival consists of light installations, interactive light shows, performances as well as workshops.

In 2013, the United Nations proclaimed 2015 as the “International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies, a global initiative which highlights the importance of light and optical technologies in our lives, our futures and for the development of society.”

Like a treasure hunt, spectators will discover artworks sprinkled across the Zorlu Center: on the square, in the park, at Raffles Hotel, around the Performing Arts Center, the mall, and even in the metro tunnel.

The program includes workshops, “Light Talks” and is free for all.