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Futuristic Rainbow Chandelier Lights Up an 1840s Theatre

Light artist Liz West rejuvenates a centuries-old space with seven colors.
Artist Liz West presents her first permanent installation Sevenfold. All images by Jim Stephenson

Bursts of color are not quite what jump in one’s head when thinking about the Victorian period, but for British artist Liz West, there would be no better spot to place her vibrant installations, known for manipulating light to make old sites anew.

Transforming a neo-classical cultural venue based in Bury, England—The Met, which dates back to the 1840s—West has created Sevenfold, her latest installation that will be permanently installed in the historical building.

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“I am delighted to be given this opportunity to make my first permanent installation,” West tells The Creators Project. “It is an honor to be asked to make a new work in such a magnificent and multi-purpose setting.”

16. Liz West, Sevenfold, 216. Photo credit -  Jim Stephenson.jpg

Natural light floods the staircase of The Met, making it a perfect spot for Liz’s work, which takes on a rainbow sequence of colors throughout seven reflective prisms. Six large and one small, they reflect light onto all the details of the refurbished Victorian plasterwork.

30. Liz West, Sevenfold, 216. Photo credit -  Jim Stephenson.jpg

“The light-based and theatrical and immersive nature of my work ties in perfectly with The Met and the building’s use,” says West. “I hope that visitors enjoy my work for many years to come and are able to see new elements within the installation every time they look at the piece.”

21. Liz West, Sevenfold, 216. Photo credit -  Jim Stephenson.jpg
13. Liz West, Sevenfold, 216. Photo credit -  Jim Stephenson.jpg

The Met’s redevelopment cost £4.6 million and was done with assistance from Arts Council England. It was opened with West’s installation as of 8 December 2016. See more of Liz West’s work here.

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