Night Walk in Osaka!

Federico FaveroLighting DesignerStockholm When asked to write a note in TNT column, I was considering to share my thoughts on how Artificial Intelligence might change lighting design. But then during the summer I experienced the “Notte delle Luci” (Light Night) festival, and I felt the urge to report it. Visitors of the festival gather at dusk in Scorrano, a small town in Salento, the heel of the Italian boot. Thousands of people walk from the outskirts of the town to the main square. The public lighting is switched off and there is life buzzing from the shops and the restaurants. White structures along the streets frame the sky and create architectures of varied scale and complexity. These structures are called “Luminarie” and host multiple light points in patterns. When the sky is completely dark, music starts and all of a sudden all the “Luminarie” are switched on. The architectural structures shine, their patterns become alive, people are lit almost as in daylight, the atmosphere recalls a sense of fascination and of lightness. The eye shifts constantly between the saturated light dots and a sense of intense diffuse white light, which creates a vibrant complexity. Most of the lights are static but there are also spectacular shows of light and sound in the square and the surrounding streets. All in all, an awe-inspiring experience. I asked Paolo Portaluri, a lighting designer based in Salento, to give some context to what I…

Interviewer:　Ai Sohara Theme：Fashion and Light , or maybe Women and Light Sohara： Today, I thought we could take a walk and visit Laforet Harajuku. Mende：Did you come shopping here when you were younger? Sohara：Oh ya!! I am a Tokyo native, so I have shopped here since jr. high. As women continue to develop their position in society, I think it is really important to dress up and look trendy. So of course, lighting is also very important when selecting items. Laforet HARAJUKU Women have beautiful curves, so soft light looks good Mende：So, have you ever bought something just because the lighting is good? Or something like that? Sohara： I think window shopping is the basis for many women shoppers. Take for instance today, we are just walking along and looking a various shops we come across. So, yes, the first impression, as shoppers passes by a shop, is very important. Mende：Yes, it is important to entice shoppers inside. As we walked around, I never realized the variety of shops in Laforet. There are boutiques with pendant lights or studio-like lighting, even shops using glareless fixtures, I never would have guessed! The characteristics of each shop design seem to be transposed in the lighting. I suppose to differentiate themselves from the other shops. Sohara：I don`t think the younger generation has noticed, but I really feel that lighting effects create a sense of elation while shopping. However, I think the most important…

Graz is the second largest city in Austria. The Mor River runs through the center, with old cityscape and warm-colored street lighting giving the city a cozy feel. On the other hand, Kunst Haus and other newer architecture have added an element of the arts with a system of reflection streetlights also creating a new face for this city of culture. From the top of castle hill, with its large clock tower, Uhrturm, the City of Graz is in full view. Photo to the right, city hall offices in the city center. The building facades along Herrengasse Street are also up lit for a festive atmosphere as the sun goes down. The Kunst Haus, built along the Mor River and in the middle of the old cityscape, resembles a spaceship just blasting off. Fluorescent lights are mounted on the main facade and at night a program controls the fixtures, sometimes turning it blazing white. Reflection streetlights in the plaza before city hall. These streetlights are visible in many places throughout the city.

2019/02/04-02/09 | Aleksandra Stratimirovic Belgrade of Light event, organised by Belgrade Lighting Detectives, opened a new decade of activities with programme Imagine Light during the period 4th to 9th of February at KC GRAD (Belgrade, Serbia). ■Lighitng Detectives Belgrade ChapterBelgrade of Light 2019 was held for 6 days at KC GRAD. Five artists, art groups and collectives, with their dynamic performances, installations and exhibitions played with motion, light and sound, transforming gallery at KC GRAD, into entirely different experience every night during the event. THE BOX | Q / TI / JA by Radio.Nica ■Day 1：THE BOX | Q/TI/JASpectacular performance by Radio.Nica – [THE BOX | Q / TI / JA] opened Belgrade of Light 2019. The performance was inspired with “The Ray of the Microcosm” by Petar II Petrovic Njegos, and with the help of the graphoscopic alchemy, lasers, crystals and other analog sources of light, Radio.Nica was creating pure magic on the stage.Radio.Nica is a flexible and ever-changing group of artists with different backgrounds (theater directors, designers, dramaturges, performers, circus artists etc.) experimenting with light design. LUMINESCENCE by Incredible Bob ■Day 2： LUMINESCENCEHigh quality, dense, Belgrade’s dark and Luminescence in it – a light installation by Incredible Bob. This darkness intercepted with light from various light sources, accompanied by sounds created a kind of a hypnopompic atmosphere for audience on the second day of Belgrade of Light. Incredible Bob is a Belgrade scene desperado. He walks a thin…

Hairstyles Interviewer:　Chika Makabe Makabe：Today I`d like to talk about your hairstyle. Also, I thought it might be fun to take a peek at your private life, a different side of the lighting designer, Mr. Mende. But let`s just see where the conversation takes us. Mende： Hmmm…Yes, let`s see… I am a very curious person, so I like to try new things. About my hairstyle, I have tried an afro before. Also, I used to part my hair straight down the middle! Makabe： I saw a rare picture of you with curly, permed hair when you were younger! For me, short hair, brushed back on the right side is the standard Mr. Mende. I don`t really have an impression of your playing around with your hairstyle. Mende：I think I got the perm right after I graduated from the university. I had a friend who lived in Nihonbashi and worked at a hair salon. This picture was taken around the time I just started working as a lighting designer. The ladies magazine JJ was doing a close up on “Up and Coming Lighting Designers.” Now that I see this picture again, it`s a little embarrassing. Although if I do something too strange, my wife will get after me! I have to consult with her, too! Makabe：I see. You take into account your partner`s feelings before trying a new hairstyle. By the way, on your online schedule, you have a monthly haircut scheduled…