Portland: Project Illumination

When I was visiting the Portland Winter Light Festival, I did not know it yet, but some of the lights I noticed were actually up for Project Illumination, meaning that they will be up until April.

This included the Star Installations and the pink and purple trees of Pretty In Pink around Director Park. ,

However, my first hint that there was something going on was the day we went to the Oregon Historical Society and encountered the Disco Ball Canopy Installation.

Disco balls tend to stand out anyway, even though it was not lit at the time. Then, a bit beyond that I saw the Sunflower, and thought I remembered Helianthus Enorme from last year's Winter Light Festival.

A little bit of research located the first article on Project Illumination, but there is a fuller article with a complete map available now.

https://downtownportland.org/project-illumination-in-downtown-portland-has-kicked-off/

The Park Blocks are where the most obviously installation-like art resides, and perhaps that makes sense. You have sculptures in front of the Portland Art Museum, and reasons to sing and dance behind the Portland Center for the Performing Arts.

I am not only referring to the giant disco ball (which does make me feel like dancing), but also the Singing Tree, which responds to the sound around it.

I was not really feeling bold enough to just start belting out a tune, but I quietly sang a bit of "Blue Bayou" to the tree, and the bulbs turned more blue. Coincidence? Probably.

You will also find expanded tree lighting this year, including some trees in NW Portland, which is new. There are stars and sunbursts in multiple locations.

My favorite was the array of sunbursts between SW 4th and 3rd, from Salmon to Madison. I know the pictures don't do it justice, but it was just beautiful.

They take on different appearances when they first go on at dusk, and then as it gets darker, and all the way dark, so are worth viewing at different times.

Plus the large installations change color.

Those patterns will keep adjusting until they disappear with the spring.

I am in favor of beauty.

Accessibility: Not only does everything have flat, smooth access, and the installations are large enough that even fairly severely visually impaired people should be able to see something, but also sites are near MAX lines, bus lines, and Streetcar.

COVID: All outside, and this should even be safer than the Winter Light Festival, which does create some crowded areas. It should be easy to maintain distancing.

Of course, it may also be cold and snowy, but that's part of what makes a change in the scenery so nice.

https://downtownportland.org/project-illumination-in-downtown-portland-has-kicked-off/