A New Dawn for Parliament
A permanent light sculpture lit by Applelec’s LED light sheet has been created to celebrate all of the people who campaigned for women’s right to vote.
Friday, 15 Jul 2016 09:54 GMT
The New Dawn light sculpture celebrates people who campaigned for women’s right to vote (image by Emma Brown)
New Dawn is 6m high and features 168 hand-blown glass scrolls, each illuminated by LED light sheet to make a sun shape. The scrolls represent the Acts of Parliament which acknowledged women’s right to vote.
Made by artist Mary Branson, it is the first permanent artwork to be commissioned for Parliament to consider women’s suffrage, and is also the first abstract artwork created for the Palace of Westminster. The display is located above the entrance to St Stephen’s Hall as many suffrage protests took place there.
“Applelec’s LED Light Sheet has been vitally important in the creation of New Dawn,” says Branson, adding: “Being really bright but thin, the light source could be hidden in our structure and so gives the impression that the glass itself is glowing and floating in front of the structural portcullis metalwork.
Being really bright but thin, the light source could be hidden in our structure and so gives the impression that the glass itself is glowing and floating in front of the structural portcullis metalwork”
“I needed a light source that was low power, and low maintenance, as my brief was to create an artwork that could be enjoyed by future generations. LED Light Sheet generates almost no heat and with our DMX controlled drivers, fades smoothly to give beautiful and subtle effects through the glass.”
Ian Drinkwater, Applelec managing director, adds: “We feel privileged to have worked with Mary Branson on the lighting for New Dawn, and to have contributed our expertise in LED lighting to this significant and beautiful artwork celebrating women’s right to vote.”
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