Art as Experience and Immersion

For the last two years, Unite to Light has hosted an annual light based art exhibition and fundraiser called Unite to Light the Night. The event invites guests to tangibly explore their connections to light and energy, while also building awareness for Unite to Light’s mission, and raising funds to send solar lights and solar power to people living without electricity. Unite to Light chose to do an art show over a typical fundraiser due to art’s ability to portray feelings beyond words. As Nathan Vonk, a partner in the event and owner of Sullivan Goss Gallery, said: “Art can be used to deepen experiences of things that may be otherwise difficult to talk about or understand.” For many of us, it can be impossible to truly conceptualize what it would be like to live without light and electricity. Through partnerships with local artists, Unite to Light hopes to inspire a better understanding of their cause and mission through art. ​

United by Light by Rebecca Zendejas

Through an open call, Unite to Light recruited local artists to create works of art, or repurpose existing works, that would help people experience light and electricity in new ways and explore the mission and work of Unite to Light. Each year, Unite to Light raises funds through sponsorships to help support these artists. The artists also give generously of their time, talent and perspective to make this event possible. Below we will explore three pieces that were built specifically for 2023 Unite to Light the Night. ​

Outside of Cathedrals II and III by Cevins McCullah

McCullah described the piece as an “immersive representation of Unite to Light’s work,” as Unite to Light focuses on bringing light to dark spaces inside of a lit world. Guests were invited to grab a Luke Light (Unite to Light’s solar light) on their way inside the domes and use it to illuminate their experiences. One of the domes was dedicated to the local impact of Unite to Light, with facts such as “5.5% of local city college students are currently experiencing homelessness” written throughout the inside. The other dome championed Unite to Light’s global impact, inviting guests to explore light’s function as a catalyst for education, economic growth, and improved healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa. ​

Cathedrals II and III by artist Cevins McCullah invited guests to explore a world without electricity. The pieces, two 12-foot by 9-foot geodesic domes, took visitors on a journey that revealed the transformative power of light. A significant part of the piece’s conception was to provide an area of darkness in the center of a very bright event. After experiencing the power of light throughout the event, the stark contrast of the absence of light becomes even more impactful. ​

Inside of Cathedral III by Cevins McCullah

United by Light by Rebecca Zendejas

Another piece that emphasized the idea of light as an inspiring connection was United by Light by artist Rebecca Zendejas. Zendejas has had a lifelong fascination with the role of sacred spaces within daily routines.  Recently, her work has focused on creating custom altars for individuals and communities; providing a “place for people to reconnect with what matters most to them.” For the exhibition, Zendejas was inspired by the global practice of communities that create a ‘Spirit House’ that  “honors ancestors and entities that protect and support the community.” Guests who stopped at Zendajas’ Spirit House were able to have quiet conversations regarding the impact Unite to Light has had supporting and lighting up communities, and how they could contribute to that effort.  A multisensory experience, a slideshow was displayed inside the altar with photos of Unite to Light partners and recipients; surrounded by flowers, soil, bells, firefly lights, and hanging stars. The stars were added by guests who had made a donation, purchased a light, or finished the Art Quest during the event.  The Spirit House was primarily illuminated with Luke Lights instead of candles, allowing guests a direct experience of the true power of these small lights.

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Blast by Birgit Leleu took inspiration from a different category of Unite to Light’s initiatives: disaster relief efforts within war-torn areas. The piece resembles a party banner with multicolored glass triangles reflecting the various light sources within the exhibition room. At ten feet wide, the work hung above the guests in one of the main gallery areas, making them ever aware of its presence with its reflections of light. Leleu states that her inspiration for the work was “press images of warzones in which one can see the remains of flags and banners because they were celebrating a birthday.” Leleu used glass to emphasize the fragility of life in war-torn areas. The piece was titled Blast to make use of the double meaning between the phrases “having a blast” and “a war-torn, civilian bombing.” ​

Blast by Birgit Leleu

With Unite to Light the Night, Unite to Light hopes to provide a space for artists to get creative with the use of light in their works and for guests to reflect on their relationship with light and energy. We believe that tangible experiences emphasize the importance of light and our mission far better than other means, as well as give a space to celebrate and work with numerous talented local artists. ​

Learn more about Unite to Light the Night