Salone Selection Waiting for Euroluce 2025: five events for marveling at light Text by Marianna Guernieri Add to bookmarks Mudac, Soleil, Staring at the Sun, Alice Bucknell, 2024-2025 A selection of exhibition events around the world where art, light and sustainability come together From the Festival of Light in Berlin to Vivid Sydney in Australia, passing through the Glow in Eindhoven or the Winter Light Festival in Reykjavik, in the last 15 years there has been a sunburst of events showcasing light that combine entertainment and spectacle as well as art, design and technological innovation. From northern Europe to Asia, and all the way to the Americas, light is being featured in installations, performances and exhibitions involving the public in immersive experiences with a pop character or pure experimentation. What we see in this selection are representative of different approaches, from the light of the Solar Biennale intended as the ultimate goal towards which to strive for a truly more sustainable design, to the traditional gatherings with thousands of hot lanterns during festivities in Thailand. In anticipation of Euroluce 2025, which this year will see the debut of The Euroluce International Lighting Forum, here are five events to visit this year that embody a combination of art, light and sustainability. Mudac, Soleil, Staring at the Sun, Alice Bucknell, 2024-2025 Solar Biennale Founded in 2020 by designers Marjan van Aubel, who at Salone 2025 will present the Light for Life Masterclass, and Pauline van Dongen, the Solar Biennale explores the use of solar energy in art and design, in the belief that solar energy is the primary and most human energy that exists. The next edition will open at Mudac in Lausanne, Switzerland, from 19 to 21 March 2025, with international artists invited to create sustainable solar installations. The next edition will open with the exhibition "Soleil·s" which will run until 21 September 2025. Where: Place de la Gare 17, 1003 Lausanne, Switzerland Spark, Daan Roosegaarde Spark Organic fireworks. Spark was born from the creative mind of Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde, as a project combining art and technology, exploring the relationship between light, energy and public space. Inspired by fireflies and the desire to reinvent traditional fireworks, Spark is a poetic performance of thousands of biodegradable luminous sparks floating in the air and reacting to human movement, to raise awareness of the responsible use of natural resources. The project debuted in 2018, and the next appointment is at the Breckenridge International Festival of Arts, Colorado, from August 15 to 17, 2025. Where: Blue River Plaza, 137 S. Main Street, downtown Breckenridge, Colorado, USA Lo Yi Peng Lantern Festival - Ph. Zaw Wai Yi Peng Lanterns are an ancient and fascinating tradition, a symbol of purification and hope. The Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, celebrates the full moon with thousands of sky lanterns. Originally a religious ritual, today it has become a very popular global event that attracts up to 10,000 people. The next edition will be held on 5 and 6 November 2025. Tickets are on sale to attend the official ceremonies in front of the pagoda set up at the CAD Cultural Center but there are also many free launch sites available. Where: CAD Cultural Center Lanna, 35 moo 3 On Klang, Mae On District, Chiang Mai, Thailand Signal, Capriccio, Jiří Příhoda - Ph. Tomáš Slavík Signal Devoted to digital culture and the visual arts, this festival in Prague transforms the city into a glowing work of art every October. Founded in 2013, the festival features interactive light installations with local and international artists with the aim of transforming the city into a capital of digital art. The next edition will be held from 9 to 19 October 2025. Curated by Pavel Mrkus, this year’s edition “Ecosystems 03 – Solutions” concludes the three-year curatorial cycle entitled “Ecosystems”. Where: various locations, Prague, Czech Republic
Exhibitions The latest outdoor furnishing, championing sustainability, material and colour Comfortable and sustainable, outdoor furnishing lends itself to many different interpretations, channelling innovation and constantly evolving aesthetics Marilena Pitino
Stories The biology of light, according to Manuel Spitschan What does chronobiology have to do with design? Manuel Spitschan, professor at the Technische Universität München, explains why light is essential to our well-being. And why designers should know more about it to design better. Giulia Zappa
Sustainability The Piazze Aperte scheme is really changing the face of Milan Since 2018, the two local governments helmed by Mayor Giuseppe Sala have closed more than fifty of the city’s streets and roads to traffic – but not to people. And this is just the beginning Fabrizio Fasanella
