Weaving Light. An immersion between notes and colorful glimmers brought to life by the spectacular installations and luminous artworks created for the immersive sensory exhibition of light art organized by IMG, an international event producer, and their Italian partner, the Be.it Events team of siblings Mauro and Silvia Dorigo. An event inaugurated in the presence of city institutions and content creators, which is set to open to the public on Saturday, November 30, 2024, and remain in the city until Monday, January 6, 2025.
It is a special occasion to experience a unique event with its enchanting and engaging scenarios that, in Italy, cannot be found elsewhere and that bring to the stage a reinterpretation of the theme of Christmas through the most contemporary languages of art and creativity, renewing the involvement of the Botanical Garden Museum of the Sapienza University of Rome as the natural space for the event. Comprising the map of the luminous wonders of 'Weaving Light' are 22 stops, among installations and light art pieces, some of which are new and interactive, including indoor ones, designed specifically for the international project in the capital, which originated from themed events held by the IMG group in 2021 at Windsor Park in Great Britain and Domaine National de Saint Claude in Paris, before Italy also lit up thanks to the Be.it Events team.
Stephen Flint Wood, Executive Vice President of Arts & Entertainment Events at IMG, stated: "With the Jubilee approaching, we wanted to help celebrate the historical and cultural importance of this city by creating a spectacular and engaging experience that brings together friends and families during the Christmas period. Rome has always been a beacon of art, history, and spirituality, and we believe that events like 'Weaving Light', which combine community, tradition, and innovation, further strengthen its central role on the global cultural scene."
A milestone made possible also thanks to the collective of talents gathered by the curator of 'Weaving Light', Silvia Dorigo, co-founder of Be.it Events, who greeted those present at the exhibition's inauguration explaining: "Working with established artists and young talents allows us to build a bridge between the past and the future, creating something truly unique. It is this mix of excellence, vision, and courage that makes 'Weaving Light' a special project, capable of engaging everyone, from experts to simple enthusiasts, in an extraordinary cultural journey."
A hope shared by Mauro Dorigo, co-founder of Be.it Events, who adds: "Our goal has always been to create experiences that leave a mark, going beyond mere entertainment. With 'Weaving Light', we are not only celebrating Christmas but also the power of art and culture as tools of connection and inspiration. We want to create an event that not only amazes but also offers the public a deep reflection on beauty, innovation, and the ability to reinvent traditions."
Fabio Attorre, director of the Botanical Garden Museum of Rome, also renews enthusiasm for the event: "I am delighted to host a new edition of 'Weaving Light' at the Botanical Garden of Rome. I thank IMG, Be.it Events, and the Museum Hub of Sapienza for this beautiful initiative to enhance an important museum space in the city, which, with its unique combination of nature and monuments, represents an ideal setting for this event. I am also pleased that students from the Universities of Rome and Viterbo, the Academy of Fine Arts of Lecce, and the Roberto Rossellini Technical Institute have contributed to the creation of artistic installations for an event that is part of Rome's Christmas tradition."
An immersive open-air light art journey appreciated by city institutions: "A pleasure to inaugurate 'Weaving Light' and bring the greetings of the Mayor and my personal ones to this event in the wonderful Botanical Garden of Rome, which combines the magic of lights and the discovery of plants, focusing attention on the silent and fundamental role they play for our life on the Planet," comments Sabrina Alfonsi, Councillor for Agriculture, Environment, and Waste Cycle of Rome Capital, captivated by the magic of the exhibition, and intervened on behalf of the Capitol.
"It is an initiative that we have welcomed with pleasure, of international caliber, which enriches the calendar of Christmas events throughout Rome. I am happy that, in addition to great artists, many young people and students from Rome have been involved and can showcase themselves," declared Alessandro Onorato, Councillor for Major Events, Sport, Tourism, and Fashion.
The exhibition has also captivated web stars such as influencers, among the many attendees, Carolina Cosentino (Pleasures of Rome), Gian Marco D'Eusebi (Azzykky), Giulia Neccia, Noemi Silipo (actress), Sara Vaiani, who, before the final toast among the food trucks of the 'Village of Lights', let themselves be carried away by the magic of the now known low-impact environmental path proposed to engage once again a diverse audience of all ages, after the successful editions of recent years, including those of 2023 simultaneously in Rome and the Royal Gardens of Monza.
Also, this year, visitors can choose to purchase tickets dedicated to the AIRC Foundation for cancer research ETS. For every "AIRC ticket" sold online from November 1 to January 6, Weaving Light will donate 3 euros to support pediatric cancer research.
The festival once again involves national and international artists, including: the Creative Group known as Unit C1; the network of talents in the field of light, as well as the holder of the world's largest collection of light art, renowned as the Light Art Collection, founded at the Amsterdam Light Festival in 2017; the Roman duo MOTOREFISICO, with extensive international experience, and NewBlend, which, together with the German Thorsten Wulf, has called upon international artists specialized in programming light shows. Joining them as a novelty of this edition are some students from prestigious Italian institutes and universities that the producers wanted to involve with their projects as young people capable of contributing to creating this new Roman Christmas tradition, through the construction of a bridge of beauty between the values of the past, always dear and felt, and the languages of technology applied to luminous works, closer to the younger generation.
In particular, the talented creatives from the Academy of Fine Arts of Lecce, the Master in Light Design of Sapienza University of Rome, the ITS Academy Roberto Rossellini of the innovative start-up Nature 4.0, born within the University of Tuscia in Viterbo and led by Professor Riccardo Valentini, main author and coordinator of the third and fifth report of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) for which, in 2007, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize thanks to his research on climate change, participated in the new edition of 'Weaving Light'.
Regarding their participation, Professor Riccardo Valentini recounts: "With this 'Breath of Life' installation, we wanted to use the digital innovation TreeTalker, developed in the laboratories of the University of Tuscia with the start-up Nature 4.0, to give voice to the trees that, through the lights, convey the flow of vital sap from the soil to the leaves. Visitors can interact with the trees by placing their hand on a digital sensor, which transmits the heartbeat to the tree that pulses in sync with it. We hope, in this way, that visitors can connect with the trees and nature and take care of them by discovering their vital rhythm."
"When a child is born, it is said that they have come to light, that is, photons, a symbol of life, colors in the kaleidoscope of the beauty of nature and art. This year too, light returns to illuminate the Lincei," emphasizes Carlo Doglioni, vice president of the Accademia dei Lincei and president of the class of Physical Sciences. "Light is a symbol of energy, science, and consciousness. 'Weaving Light' is establishing itself as a tradition of the Capital, because scientific research is the candle that illuminates the darkness and gives us hope for the future."
Claudia di Fabio, director of ITS Academy Rossellini, then intervenes: "Our Academy is happy to have participated in this prestigious edition of 'Weaving Light', which allowed the students of ITS Academy Rossellini to work on an installation from its design, integrating theory and practice and offering the students a formative experience alongside international professionals and creatives of high standing. This is the practical-laboratory approach that inspires ITS like ours, and we are grateful to have been able to demonstrate it by integrating ourselves into such a rich and authoritative scene."
As highlighted by Professor Patrizia Staffiero, deputy director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Lecce: "The Governance of the Academy of Fine Arts of Lecce is proud to present the Luminaripainting project at the Botanical Garden of Rome, the result of the artistic work of our students, guided by professors Ester Annunziata, Vincenzo Sansone, and lighting designer Liliana Iadeluca. For the third edition of 'Weaving Light', the team developed, within a light painting workshop with students, a project that transformed traditional Apulian lights into flows of light imprinted on a photograph. The workshop results are mapped, with Gobo projectors, on the facade of Palazzo Corsini, home to the prestigious National Academy of the Lincei. Thanks to Be.it Events for allowing our students, the lifeblood of our institution, to engage with an event of international scope."
Finally, Marco Frascarolo, lighting designer, coordinator of the teaching of the Master in Lighting Design, Sapienza University of Rome, concludes: "Aetherea interprets the Genius Loci: it arises from the encounter between the tree and water, expression of nature, architecture, and sculpture, expression of artifice, in an immersive and interactive journey where the individual element seeks its identity in the dialectical relationship with the other."
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