Baltimore's Unique Neighborhoods Display Art Ahead Of Light City
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Back for its third year, Light City is planning for more lights and more love.
Federal Hill is one of the 14 neighborhoods that's joining the festival that highlights Baltimore's vibrant communities.
"It's all about bridging -- bridging communities, bridging stories, bridging neighborhoods, bridging different peoples experiences," artist Ada Pinkston said.
Pinkston created the Hamilton Lauraville Mainstreet project titled "Light Bridge." It's located on the corner of Echodale Avenue and Harford Road.
"Hamilton Lauraville Mainstreet strive to engage community members at every opportunity and any event we have going on," Mia Blom said.
Their piece showcases community members etched in Plexiglas, with a large-scale video projection and performances.
"Having a space for other parts outside of the Harbor to be lit is really exciting, and I feel it's only going to get bigger from here," Pinkston added.
The collaborative project with a unifying vision gives Baltimore's neighborhoods a chance to shine on their own before Light City launches their main festival.
"They're working together from step 1, developing what the project is, so it really has a lot of input from the community members as well as the artists," said Megan Bosse of the Baltimore Office of Promotions & the Arts.
In Locust Point, the XXS Group created the project "Harbor Memory," which is spread across the wooden pier along the water at Under Armour's headquarters.
"It was exactly what my vision was for the neighborhood, it was beautiful, it was serene and environmental," Locust Point resident Ellen Worthing said. "Let's bring some art for once into this community and let's celebrate that and show people what Locust Point can do."
The piece represents a sparkling wetland with fiber optic lighted plants.
"Making people to know about public art and start a new page of Locust Point," said XXS Group member Xinye Zheng.
Visitors will also have a chance to own a part of the installation.
"Claim their own piece of installation and take it away after the exhibition so that is what we call claim your own light," XXS Group member Moya Sun said.
Friday night, many of the participating neighborhoods will also be hosting their own parties to celebrate their installations.
They're inviting the public to come and join them. Neighborhood Lights runs through Sunday.
As part of WJZ's community connection, we are proud to be a sponsor of Light City. Find out more about Light City here.
Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook
