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Luxmuralis are becoming regular exhibitors in Canterbury now, with two son et lumière shows in the city centre this Autumn alone. Their work brings such excitement to the town centre, offering something different during the darkest months of the year. In September ‘Crown and Coronation’ took over the Cathedral and this month, ‘Fantastic Tales and Where to Find Them’ is at St Augustine’s Abbey. The event is part of the Canterbury Festival and will mark the first time that the creative company led by Peter Walker and David Harper have produced a show at the English Heritage site. The abbey was founded in the 6th Century and the scale of the site makes for a really unique viewing experience, offering something different to the other Luxmuralis shows I have seen.
An atmospheric outside experience
The show focuses on the Anglo-Saxon era, specifically illustrated manuscripts from the time, and is entirely outdoors. The tour starts at the King’s School Gate and visitors follow a defined walking route which rather interestingly is obscured from view, adding an element of mystery. When you combine being outside with the winding pathways of the site, you can’t help but feel that ‘Fantastic Tales and Where to Find Them’ is almost slightly haunting, which brings a whole new perspective to Luxmuralis’ art. The imagery is representative of the time period, specifically the typography-focused projections, but it is the fusion of the moving images, lighting effects and sound compositions that generates a multi-sensory experience.
Overall thoughts
‘Fantastic Tales and Where to Find Them’ is by no means as extravagant as the Cathedral displays, but it is incredibly impactful and will appeal to history and art fans. It is also fascinating to see how the artists have created various projections and lighting effects for the varying scales of formations. I’ve never visited the abbey during the day, but from what I could see this week, it is a really complex architectural canvas to work with.
You can catch ‘Fantastic Tales and Where to Find Them’ at St Augustine’s Abbey until Saturday 21st December, with entry slots every 15 mins from 5pm. At £10 per adult, this is a very affordable attraction for the last few days before Christmas. When you’re surrounded by festive lights everywhere, why not try something different this week and head to the abbey for some thought-provoking, emotive projections at a historic location. Tickets are available via the Canterbury Festival website.
Thanks for reading my blog today.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘Fantastic Tales and Where to Find Them’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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