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Glow-In-The-Dark Art

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By ESTHER HAMMER

Tribune correspondent

Published: January 10, 2009

Updated: 01/10/2009 12:13 am

TAMPA - The city will burst with color and lights tonight as the art extravaganza "Lights on Tampa" returns after a three-year hiatus.

As night falls, five structures in the city will glow from within and without thanks to luminous creations by seven local, national and international artists.

The fun starts about 5:30 tonight at the south entrance to the Fort Brooke Parking Garage, where Mayor Pam Iorio will formally begin the event. The installation "Revamp Fort Brooke" will be featured there.

Created by Germany-based artists Friedrich Forster and Sabine Weissinger, who collectively call themselves Casa Magica, it consists of six still images projected onto the garage in random rotation. The colorful construction serves as contrast to the plain building.

"Their work is incredibly layered," said Robin Nigh, manager of art programs and Art in Public Places for the city. "They created beautiful and saturated images veiled with meaning, and very contextual to Tampa."

Brooklyn-based artist Chris Doyle will hang rotating mirrored balls from the entrance portico of the Tampa Convention Center and from many downtown structures outside the center as well. He calls the installation "Ecstatic City."

"A total of 70 balls will be hanging from palm trees and in the Dick Greco Transportation Plaza," Nigh said. "The effect is dazzling."

Nearby, in a bank of windows on a building at the northwest corner of Platt and Franklin streets, local artist Carlton Ward will digitally project an installation called "Living Waters," in which he showcases Tampa's wilder environs.

Down Platt Street a bit, New York-based artist Marina Zurkow will project a repeating 18-minute story in animation called "Slurb" on a wall of the St. Pete Times Forum.

Perched in Cotanchobee Park (next to the Marriott Waterside) is the sculpture "Tampa Public Mood Ring," a work by Will Pappenheimer and Chipp Jansen. Made from recycled steel, the ring sports a football-shaped "gemstone" and features an interactive element designed to respond to the mood of the public, particularly with regard to upcoming Super Bowl XLIII.

The buildings will glow nightly through Super Bowl Sunday, Feb.1.

The exhibit cost about $800,000, with the city picking up about 40 percent of the price tag. Grants and private sponsorships will offset additional costs.

"It's certainly a challenge, but it's also fun," Nigh said. "It's something we hope Tampa can be proud of."

For information on the event, visit www.lightsontampa.org.

Correspondent Esther Hammer can be reached at (813) 259-7662 or ehammer@tampatrib.com.

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