The Saratoga hills will be illuminated for the next few months thanks to British artist Bruce Munro’s latest art exhibit, “Stories in Light.”
For the first time, Munro has brought his electrifying light-based artwork to the West Coast at the Montalvo Arts Center. And for him, there was no better place than the Bay Area to debut his work.
“The Bay, I think, is a beautiful area,” Munro said. “I mean the clarity of the light here and the landscape is a very magical part of the world and to do an exhibition here, I’m a very very lucky person to be here.”
Munro’s magical display features 10 light-based artworks scattered across the 175-acre property all inspired by his favorite fantasy book series: C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia.”
“C.S. Lewis did inspire me and this exhibition is about C.S. Lewis but my inspiration in using light is really simply about observing life and living life,” Munro said. “My work is about trying to define and reflect upon time and space and one’s experience of life.”
From LEDs to fluorescents to fiber optics, Munro experiments with light in hopes of translating many of the messages he found within the subtext of “The Chronicles of Narnia.”
The first artwork many viewers will see covers the Great Lawn of the Montalvo Arts Center with thousands of glass bulbs called the “Silver Sea.” Another display features 1,000 plastic flamingos illuminated by floodlights called “Ramandu’s Table.”
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Regardless of the method used to light the art, for Munro light is just another medium of expression.
“All I’m hoping is that people will come here and they’ll go away with a positive feeling and they have had a good time,” Munro said.
Munro’s “Stories in Light” will be on display at the Montalvo Arts Center until March 17, 2019 with more than 90 opportunities for public viewing.
