Amsterdam Light Festival - In Bloom

WHAT WE DID

Supplying & Engineering: OneEightyOne

Design: Wilhelmusvlug

location

Amsterdam, Netherlands

photography

Janus van den Eijnden

Arts & Culture

About the Project

The story

Set against the historic canals of Amsterdam, In Bloom transforms the city into a luminous garden of light and movement. Created by Dutch artist Wilhelmusvlug for the Amsterdam Light Festival, this captivating light art installation features illuminated leaves that appear to dance through the night, celebrating the universal symbolism of flowers across cultures while creating a memorable experience for visitors.

Inspired by nature and shaped by the artist's background at Amsterdam's Gerrit Rietveld Academy, In Bloom seamlessly blends art, technology, and the urban landscape. OneEightyOne translated the artistic vision into a reliable custom LED lighting solution, engineering and realizing an installation that brings the artwork to life while ensuring durability, precision, and visual impact in a demanding outdoor environment.

THE
PROCESS

The vibrant petals

The installation, which rises from the ground like cherry blossoms caught in an eternal breeze, represents the circle of life itself. Each petal, crafted from aluminum frames delicately wrapped in fabric, carries within it sophisticated LED technology. The DiGi LED Strip IP68 Multi Color systems, protected against the elements, emit a warm 2700K white light alongside vibrant colors, while DiGidot C4 Extended controllers orchestrate their intricate dance through the night.

The tulip trubute

The significance of placing this floral tribute in Amsterdam runs deep. The city's historical connection to flowers, particularly tulips, is legendary – immortalized in the beloved 1957 song "Tulpen Uit Amsterdam" and celebrated annually on National Tulip Day, when residents gather at Museumplein for their free bunch of tulips.

Control system

Through the sophisticated interplay of light, form, and movement, controlled by the DiGidot PxLNet Transmitter system, "In Bloom" reminds viewers to pause and appreciate life's fleeting moments of beauty. As the petals swirl endlessly in their choreographed dance, they create a space for reflection on the delicate balance between celebration and loss, between the permanent and the ephemeral, between technology and nature.

"Installing this piece was a unique challenge. We even needed expertise from the municipality's tree specialists to ensure the installation would coexist harmoniously with its natural surroundings"

- Wilhelmusvlug