The Blackpool High Tide Organ

Standing about 15 meters in height, the Blackpool High Tide Organ Sculpture along Blackpool’s New Promenade was the brainchild of artists Liam Curtin and John Gooding. Most of its raw material was found from steel and copper sheets. This interesting monument is not only a sight for any musicians eyes, but it is also a kinetic sculpture. It promotes a blending of art media by being an interactive piece that resonates through its eighteen pipes when the coastline is at high tide. The organ pipes are also connected to eight pipes attached to the sea wall. The ideal hours to experience this musical sculpture is about two hours before or after high tide.

Photography by Matt Kitty from Lancashire

The sculptural monument was part of The Great Promenade Show series. It was often described by the community as something which was able to materialize the musical inclinations of the sea itself. It’s elongated structure also makes it a wonderful sight for tourists and visiting musicians.

The Blackpool High Tide Organ is one of the rare musically interactive sculptures that do not require much of man’s additional intervention. Other examples include the famous Aeolian Harp and the Wind Chime.

What is Light Sculpture?

This new and artistic way of sculpture refers to an intermedia that pertains to either the manipulation of light to exist as a dimensional artwork, or the making of an art object that in its purpose produces a display of light. Some of the earlier Light sculptors include Dan Flavin (who used electricity as a light medium), James Turrell and the more recent Olafur Eliasson.

Eliasson created a light sculpture known as “The Weather Project” in 2003. The sculpture in itself was a room with a mirrored ceiling and a brightly lit half circle/sphere resembling the sun.

Photography and Flash Swirl Sculpture

Today, many light sculptors make use of modern day technology to aid them in producing their unique creations. A simple DSLR camera and flashlight are enough to create a popular type of freeze-frame light display captured on picture. Many serious sculptors make good use of LED or light emitting diodes as a new media. Others have moved on to an even more complex form- Lumino kinetic art, which refers to the freeplay of light in motion.

Both Light sculpture and Lumino Kinetic art have similar origins. They can trace back to the works of László Moholy-Nagy a man who was deeply inspired by constructivism and whose Light-Space Modulator was one of the very first artworks to pioneer light art. Other originators include cyber sculptor Nicolas Schöffer who used prism properties with video circuits to create original works of art, and Frank Malina who was an engineer turned artist when he created the Lumidyne system of lighting or CITE.

All in all, this novel methodology is one of the fastest growing techniques in contemporary art, largely due to the growing demand for newer technology. Despite being called timeless, artistic styles can also change with the passing of our history. As man moves into new discoveries, so does his culture and way of life.