Amsterdam Light Festival - Mirror Moon

Arts & Culture

project credits

Supplying & Engineering: OneEightyOne

Design: Arnaut Meijer

photography

Janus van den Eijnden

About the Project

The story

In the heart of Amsterdam, four luminous moons hover in the darkness, each two meters in diameter, offering viewers something extraordinary: the ability to see Earth's satellite as it appears from different points around the globe. "Mirror Moon," created by Dutch artist Arnout Meijer, transforms astronomical data into a beautiful light installation that challenges our perception of what we share across the globe.

This interplay between unity and diversity lies at the heart of the installation. Every 29.5 days, Earth's natural satellite completes its cycle of phases – a rhythm that has guided human rituals and calendars across cultures for millennia. Meijer's installation captures this universal dance while highlighting our different perspectives on it.

THE
PROCESS

Using his signature laser-etched glass technique, Meijer has created four distinct lunar surfaces that come alive through carefully programmed DiGi LED Strip Amber Drift systems. The DiGidot C4 Extended 8 controller, working in concert with PxLNet Transmitters, synchronize the illumination with real-time lunar phases, creating an accurate representation of how the Moon appears from different points on Earth at any given moment.

The technical complexity behind "Mirror Moon" belies its serene appearance. Each glass moon serves as a canvas for precisely controlled LED illumination, creating accurate representations of lunar phases from different global perspectives. This marriage of traditional glass etching and advanced lighting technology allows viewers to experience something usually requiring worldwide travel – the Moon as seen from multiple points on Earth, simultaneously.

For Meijer, who lives and works in Amsterdam, this installation represents a convergence of his diverse interests in design, art, writing, and architecture. His examination of "the systems that construct and change our ways of seeing" finds perfect expression in these glowing orbs, each telling its own version of the same cosmic story.