Spotlight Festival

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1. Delir Controlat – Tudor Banuș | ARCUB – Hanul Gabroveni

Location: ARCUB – Hanul Gabroveni

Artist: Cultech – The Art Behind Technology

The Controlled Delirium – Tudor Banuș projection marks the opening, at ARCUB – Gabroveni Inn, of the retrospective exhibition of the renowned artist. The projection carries the audience into the fascinating universe of a visionary, who transforms ideas into compelling images, to combine tradition with contemporary tendencies. A master who challenges the boundaries between reality and the fantastic, with a subtle attention to surrealist details and bizarre symbols, Tudor Banuș invites the viewer to “see” beyond mere appearances, to pass through the filter of emotions every brush stroke, every detail in the images that become real portals to mysterious worlds.

Cultech Professional aims to essentialize and experiment with the message conveyed through images, using new technologies. With more than twenty years of experience in the field, the team is passionately and professionally dedicated to creating and perfecting scenic composition through light.

2. Angel Radios | Cercul Militar Național

Location: Cercul Militar Național

Artist: Mihai Popescu

The Angel Radios installation is an immersive art experience that takes visitors beyond the conventional boundaries of visual art. The centerpiece consists of three light installations in the shape of angels, each 6 meters high, which react sensorially to visitors’ touch and combine light, technology and metaphor to explore themes of transcendental communication and faith. The angels’ wings, made from either recycled materials or 3D printed, contribute to an atmosphere that invites to introspection. The installation challenges participants to discover their own voice and become part of the story, in an artistic dialogue about the sacred, origins and the unseen forces that govern our existence.

Mihai Popescu is co-founder and the creative mind behind Twins Studio, through which he designs successful locations in Romania and around the world. He is the winner of multiple national and international design competitions, including Restaurant and Bar Design Award London (World’s Best Bar 2015), Big See Awards, or SIT Awards. With Twins Studio, Mihai gives life to ideas by creating inspiring places that prevail in attention to details, keeping its philosophy oriented towards public space, and his perpetual wish is to share projects with a larger community.

3. Mozaic Urban | Teatrul Odeon

#videomapping

Location: Teatrul Odeon

Artist: MotionLab

Mozaic Urban (Urban Mosaic) transforms the facade of the Odeon Theater into a dynamic canvas, where light and architecture come together to tell the vibrant story of Bucharest. Against a clear, moonlit backdrop, lines of luminous energy throb along the boulevards, connecting every corner of the city in an abstract network, tracing dynamic, moving maps. The building springs to life, weaving past and future in a dance of shapes and colors, evoking the fast pace of urban life while also capturing the hidden stillness of the night. The windows become screens projecting images of past, present and future, and the lights play on the building, symbolizing the continuous flow of ideas and movement. In the end, all the lines of light meet at the center, suggesting the unity and cohesion of the city, in an urban harmony that weaves old and new into a memorable visual story.

MotionLab is a multimedia creative studio specialized in: video mapping, interactive installations, TV commercials, 2D and 3D animation, holograms, video content, sound design, corporate movies and events. An award-winning team of creative directors, animators, and interactive designers, MotionLab offers experiences in the fields of video mapping and interactivity, by connecting brands with people or by engaging the public in the art sector.

4. Energy – Power up your Future | Palatul Telefoanelor

#videomapping

Location: Palatul Telefoanelor

Artist: Les Ateliers Nomad

Energy – Power up your Future is an interactive installation that invites participants to get on two bicycles connected to sensors that control the projection of a futuristic city on the Telephones Company Building. As they pedal, the vegetation comes to life on the facade of the building with each intensified effort. The installation symbolizes the link between human energy and sustainable solutions for the future, but also the fragile balance between nature and urbanization. This experience transforms physical energy into an artistic manifestation of technological progress and the way nature can “colonize” human spaces, highlighting the deep connection between humans and their environment. Roots and vines seem to climb up the walls, organically wrapping themselves around architectural elements, while leaves and flowers of all sizes sprout and spread. The installation emphasizes the impact of human energy on the environment and the urban future, creating a synergy between technology, sustainability, nature and art.

The artists from Les Ateliers Nomad are amongst the Romanian new media pioneers. Founded in 2010 by Alex Petroşanu and Matei Dersidan, two artists passionate about architecture and design, Les Ateliers Nomad studio is today a collective of creatives, specialized in video mapping, 3D animations, and video scenography, which include Moonlight Breakfast music videos and live show visuals.

5. Sunny Side Up | Hotel Novotel

#instalație

Location: Hotel Novotel

Artist: Kaustik

The Sunny Side Up installation brings to the forefront the devastating impact of global warming, turning a seemingly humorous metaphor into a symbol of climate urgency. Inspired by the reality of record-breaking temperatures and extreme events, the installation features an oversized fried egg, evoking memes and viral images of fried eggs on asphalt in reaction to climate discomfort. Sunny Side Up not only draws attention to the climate crisis, but invites the public to actively participate by giving them the opportunity to sit on the “yolk”, a symbolic urban furniture, similar to a dome that mimics the power of the sun. This installation uses intense light and sizzling sounds to highlight the fragility of the environment and our role in protecting it and it encourages critical discussion and awareness of our collective responsibility for the planet’s future.

Kaustik is a concept & production studio with an experience of more than 20 years in creating multimedia installations, scenography design for live showsand urban space design.

6. Discoball | Magazinul Muzica

#instalaţie

Location: Magazinul Muzica

Artist: 360 Revolution

Muzica Store, an emblematic place for the contemporary history of Bucharest, is celebrated during Spotlight with the installation called Discoball. This year, there will be several discoball installations on a perimeter parallel with Calea Victoriei, and they will project light spots on all the buildings in the area, thus creating the atmosphere of a party.

360 Revolution is a full-service event agency offering complete support from idea and concept to implementation and supervision. The team coordinates projects at all stages, delivering unique experiences through innovative creative, technical, and digital solutions developed by its specialists.

7. asklipion | Piața Revoluției – Ansamblul monumental Iuliu Maniu

#instalaţie

Location: Piața Revoluției – Ansamblul monumental Iuliu Maniu

Artist: Émilien Guesnard

asklipion is an immersive light and sound installation inspired by ancient Greco-Roman healing temples. Designed by Émilien Guesnard, the artwork explores the connection between humans and medicinal plants, offering a serene, therapeutic experience both by day and night. The installation features 120 illuminated lamps housing preserved plants, with light and sound synchronized to reflect the healing properties of each plant. Drawing on concepts like light therapy and music therapy, asklipion creates a calming atmosphere, inviting visitors to reconnect with nature and explore the medicinal benefits of the plant world.

Émilien Guesnard is a visual artist and lighting designer based in the Monts du Lyonnais next to Lyon in France. He creates light and sound installations for public spaces that question the world and its changes and blends light in all its forms with haunting sounds that project our imaginations into other worlds. The artist experiments with this intangible material that he tames and shapes, no longer as a showcase, but as the main actor in his creations.

8. Silent Prayer | Piața Revoluției – Ansamblul monumental Memorialul Renașterii

#instalaţie

Location: Piața Revoluției – Ansamblul monumental Memorialul Renașterii

Artist: 360 Revolution

The Silent Prayer installation combines art and technology to transform an iconic monument into a meaningful light show. The installation becomes a bridge between people, light and urban space, offering a moment of reverie and inspiration to those present. As evening descends, light sources project concentric beams into the sky, intertwining and creating a supernatural aura around the monument. It seems to rise slowly upwards, evoking a silent prayer, and the rays of light become symbols of hope, giving the audience a sense of union between heaven and earth.

9. Era Fusion: Artistic Dialogues of Old and New | Biblioteca Centrală Universitară

#videomapping

Location: Biblioteca Centrală Universitară

Artiști: Valentin Chincișan și Adistu

Era Fusion: Artistic Dialogues of Old and New is an artistic confrontation between old and new that aims to reflect the interconnectivity between past and present, combining different artistic styles to celebrate the diversity and evolution of the city. The video mapping performance on the Central University Library building invites us to reflect on the balance between preserving traditions and embracing innovation. The artistic confrontation explores how urban identity is shaped over time, and the projections, woven into a coherent story, reflect continuity and change in Bucharest’s landscape. The visual dialogue highlights the contrast and interdependence between the past and the future, emphasizing how the city retains its identity while embracing transformation.

Vali Chincișan is a multimedia artist specialized in video mapping. By integrating innovative technology with rich cultural elements, he creates visual experiences that have earned international recognition and numerous awards, including first prize at the 2023 Dublin Winter Lights and first prize at the 2023 Tokyo 1 Minute Festival. He is also the winner of the “800th anniversary University of Salamanca 2018” award and winner of the Prize for Best Romanian Animation Film at Anim’est 2009. The artist created video mapping works for the Tsaritsyno Palace in Russia, the Odawara Castle in Japan, and participated in the Kiev Lights Festival (Ukraine), 1 minute (Japan), Novi Light Sensation (Italy), SSA Mapping (Brazil), and Art Vision – Modern (Russia).

Adistu (Adrian Manolescu) is a digital artist working in different backgrounds: animation and AI/3D/procedural/fractal graphics for video mapping, video performance, VFX, videos, video art, multimedia installations, and digital print art. He has presented and performed in 25 countries at events such as Berlin Festival of Lights, Anim’est, and Boom Portugal. His style is distinguished by his unique and vast mix of techniques, manifesting surreal, elegant but also playful universes. Adistu has also taught, among others, digital art at the Cinetic Center, at the Bucharest Experimental Film Festival, and on the Future Media Academy platform. Adistu was the curator and director of the traveling festival Tripoteca, which made its way to 15 countries and 30 locations.

10. Echo | Muzeul Național de Artă al României

#instalaţie

Locație: Muzeul Național de Artă al României

Artist: Julien Menzel

Echo is an audio-visual installation where sound and LED lighting interact in a continuous, harmonious dance of reverberations. Its dynamic form evolves based on the viewer’s perspective, with materials and LEDs creating a shifting appearance. Premiered at the Copenhagen Light Festival, Echo invites audiences to experience its ever-changing design through light and sound as they walk around the piece.

Trained as an architect, Julien Menzel thinks in terms of light and kinetics: light and interactive installations, augmented drawings, and scenography are his means of expression. His work is marked by a great sensitivity to forms, materials, and their plastic qualities. From small-scale works to monumental scenographic installations, his works invite us to enter into a dialogue with what already exists and to immerse ourselves in luminous spaces.