Field of Light

Bruce Munro is resurrecting his Field of Light installation and bringing it to the Holburne Museum in Bath from this month.

Field of light is an installation of acrylic stems, each crowned with a glass sphere. At the Holburne there will be 5220 stems, threaded with fibre-optic cable and topped with frosted spheres – they will be lit by five metal halide projectors on colour wheels.

Munro says he was inspired to create the work following a drive through the Australian Red Desert 18 years ago. He would stop every night at roadside campsites – oases of light in the darkness – and also notice the way the desert was barren until rain fell, causing dormant seeds to bloom.

The Light Field concept was first unveiled as part of the 2004 Brilliant exhibition at the Victoria & Albert Museum – while other versions have included a 4ha installation at Long Knoll Field in Wiltshire.

Field of Light has not been seen in public since its tenure at the Eden Project in Cornwall in 2008/2009.

At the Holburne Museum, Field of Light will be set up in the back garden behind the new extension, while a smaller version will be set up on the lawn in front of the museum.

Munro – rather modestly – says, ‘It’s not an intellectual piece – I’ll be happy if it makes people smile at Christmas time.’

Field of Light will be at the Holburne Musuem, Bath, from 26 November-8 January 2012.