The work of Children of the Light evokes a phantasmagoria: an illusionary, shifting, dreamlike spectacle re-enchanting spaces, from clubs to churches. Approaching light as an entity and nurturing a deep connection with the cosmos, their kinetic light installations foster collective transcendence and introspection. We sat down with the Amsterdam-based duo to examine light in all its facets.
In the digital age, our exposure to light is highly determined by our screen time. Especially now, in winter, we spend more time being irradiated by artificial light from our devices than being exposed to natural light from the sun. It’s a solitary light experience, typical of modern times, with our only interaction being an apathetic adjustment of the screen’s brightness.
The artist duo Children of the Light, comprising Christopher Gabriel and Arnout Hulskamp, is determined to reinvent our relationship with light. ‘We wanted to bring it back to the centre of attention, where it belongs’, they revealed to us via email. Ceremonial luminescent capsules and kinetic light work emphasise our presence within the given space, inciting consciousness and attentiveness. Through these immersive light installations, they express a philosophical taste for cosmic energy, create potential collective or individual light rituals, and embrace a remarkable approach to light as having a character to which we can relate.
‘Light is very much an entity; something alive that interacts with the world in fascinating ways’
A minimalist foundation
Their collaboration started in 2012 with Mirror Moon, for which they created a circular, revolving mirror with beams of light projected onto it. The work acted as the stage design for the band Darkside, its mysterious reflectiveness engaging the public: a ghostly apparition among the crowd. After this, they officially formed a duo.
Mirror Moon is an early example of their close relationship with music and minimalism, which draws from the renowned Zero movement of the 50s and 60s. This aesthetic is even more palpable in Magic Square of the Sun (2016), commissioned for the former Amsterdam nightclub De School. In line with the principles of the Zero group, they kept their visual research monochromatic, exploring the duality of light and darkness, introducing colour only later in their career.
Light as an entity
However, their minimalist approach comes with a big quest: to reunite the spectator and light, albeit in a somewhat disoriented way. Light art pioneer and member of the 60’s Light and Space movement James Turrell has dramatically influenced this investigation. ‘He plays with perception, making light something you don’t just see but feel and question. Light takes on a character of its own in his hands, an entity that interacts profoundly with our senses.’ Christopher and Arnout draw on this idea and stimulate the semi-conscious interaction between man and light. ‘Light is very much an entity; something alive that interacts with the world in fascinating ways’, they elaborate.
‘If you think of all lights as offsprings of the sun, each with its own character, perhaps light becomes more tangible’, the artists observe. It seems a constant objective to bring light and man closer, providing equal space for both. ‘Our goal is to make you feel part of something larger—a particle of light in a vast, boundless cosmos’. They call this ‘“a total environment”, where the spectator is fully absorbed in our version of time and space.’
A notable example of this is Transito (2018). Unlike the robotic interaction with our screens, this tunnel functions as a mysterious invitation by light. The Neoclassical-like corridor welcomes the spectator to actively relate to the work through the pulling movement of light and sound. It’s not always clear whether the experience is a warm one or one of discomfort and confusion, but it alternates our perception of light as something that can tweak our emotional knobs - having a say in how we feel.
Light as an entity
However, their minimalist approach comes with a big quest: to reunite the spectator and light, albeit in a somewhat disoriented way. Light art pioneer and member of the 60’s Light and Space movement James Turrell has dramatically influenced this investigation. ‘He plays with perception, making light something you don’t just see but feel and question. Light takes on a character of its own in his hands, an entity that interacts profoundly with our senses.’ Christopher and Arnout draw on this idea and stimulate the semi-conscious interaction between man and light. ‘Light is very much an entity; something alive that interacts with the world in fascinating ways’, they elaborate.
‘If you think of all lights as offsprings of the sun, each with its own character, perhaps light becomes more tangible’, the artists observe. It seems a constant objective to bring light and man closer, providing equal space for both. ‘Our goal is to make you feel part of something larger—a particle of light in a vast, boundless cosmos’. They call this ‘“a total environment”, where the spectator is fully absorbed in our version of time and space.’
A notable example of this is Transito (2018). Unlike the robotic interaction with our screens, this tunnel functions as a mysterious invitation by light. The Neoclassical-like corridor welcomes the spectator to actively relate to the work through the pulling movement of light and sound. It’s not always clear whether the experience is a warm one or one of discomfort and confusion, but it alternates our perception of light as something that can tweak our emotional knobs - having a say in how we feel.
Communal transcendence
What else can happen when light and man meet and the former guides the latter?
Children of the Light regularly appeal to collective imagination by fostering temporary communities. Experiencing light as a group establishes collective ritualistic experiences in which, the artists explain, ‘light has the power to create transformative spaces that resonate deeply within us’.
One of their most recent works is A Space for Light (2023), a contemporary ceremonial octagonal space made of glass where people experience unique light sequences in silence. The glass walls are made of a programmable liquid crystal membrane changing from opaque to translucent. The duo explains: ‘The interaction with light becomes almost meditative, pulling people into a shared ritualistic experience.’ Guided by an ambient soundscape from Urban Space Electronics, this piece creates a literal room for introspection. Like in a sauna, the protection of the walls, although see-through, provides a feeling of safeness, this time not supported by the physical relaxation of heat but by meditative shifting light.
Ritualistic elements particularly emerge in their works for nightlife, which naturally brings people together where they ‘move, experience, and connect through shared sensory experiences’, according to the artists. Their Loop stage design for Dekmantel’s 2024 edition created a gigantic campfire-like environment, recalling fire as a communal gathering to dance and share stories. They point out how ‘flames naturally draw people into a circle’. Returning to the organic qualities of light and our primal connection with it, the stage design resets our relationships with light and, through that, our relationships with one another.
Light may feel mundane but holds unpredictable qualities of collectivity and introspection, which are highlighted in the work of Children of the Light. Often numb or unaware of the light exposure in our daily lives, Children of the Light crafts new ‘total environments’, inviting us to reconsider our relationship with light. Emotional, confused, relaxed, connected: these are only a few of the qualities light has to offer. What else could be hidden in these energy waves when we mindfully observe and undergo?
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