14,000 glowing orbs. 42 sculptures. A 98-foot-long Winter Cathedral tunnel.
This holiday season, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden will transform into Lightscape: a luminescent, spectacular winter wonderland with art, poetry and over one million lights.
Lightscape takes guests on an immersive trail which weaves through all 52 acres of the gardens to encounter monumental light installations, magical displays highlighting the Gardenâs landscapes and architecture and site-specific music around each turn.
More than 18 works of light art will be on view, including the Winter Cathedral tunnel, Fire Garden in Oak Circle, Sea of Light, an animated light installation covering Cherry Esplanade and a series of new light-based artworks by local artists.
Though each work is different, all the features of the wonderland play on the same theme â" creating light, warmth and togetherness in spite of winter's cold.
For the installation, author and Brooklynite Jacqueline Woodson wrote a collection of site-specific poems collectively called Remember the Light Inside, which will be projected on the trees and hills near Bluebell Wood and asks viewers for reverence and self reflection during the coldest and darkest months of the year.
The Fire Garden uses specially made structures to fill the garden with real fire from candles, while the Winter Cathedral is a welcoming, otherworldly tunnel of warm light.
Laser Pond at the Japanese Hill and Pond Garden plays with the reflections of light on the water, in time to music, and the Sea of Light is an animated light installation covering Cherry Esplanade with breathtaking views from the Robert W. Wilson Overlook.
Along the trail, guests will hear a soundscape representing Brooklynâs many religious and ethnic winter cultural traditions.
In the north end of the Plant Family Collection is A Theorem: Remembered, which uses string and lights to explore a contemporary take on a Christmas tree, by New York installation artist Jacob M. Fisher.
In the scarlet oakâ"lined memorial path that borders Cherry Esplanade is Christopher Wrenâs light art, titled One World.
The installation also includes international creators like the French artists Flynn, Wish Tree, Poleen, and Wisp by Pitaya, who created the creative chandeliers and treetop sculptures. The sculptures made of Pampas grass and white peonies are by French art studio, TILT.
Along the trail, there will hot drinks, light fare and roast-your-own sâmores up for grabs.
The attraction is sponsored by Con Edison in partnership with Sony Music and WAD Entertainment. The Illuminated trail created by Culture Creative. Tickets are on sale here.
