Myths and legends on the menu of the Geneva Lux Festival
For the 11e edition, the festival of lights sets the city ablaze from January 17 to February 2 with 24 works, including 15 new works.
This animated light installation embodies the wyvern, a mythical creature from Swiss tales, half-serpent, half-dragon.
GEORGES CABRERA
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As soon as night falls in the English Garden, it is by taking a tunnel made of bamboo and LED tubes that you enter a dreamlike world. The luminous creatures of the festival Geneva Lux are then discovered one after the other, from January 17 to February 2.
Giant whales, dragonflies and flying fish lead us to a macabre dance, then to a wyvern, this mythical flying snake-dragon from Swiss tales, which here represents a regular at the festival: the kiss.
“We wander, passing from light to darkness in a universe that reflects this year’s theme: myths and legends,” explains François Moncarey, artistic director of Geneva Lux.
But this is only an overview of the 24 works to admire, including 15 new works, from this 11e edition.
“MORPHOSIS” is an organic tunnel made of bamboo and luminous mikados. By crossing this passage, visitors find themselves drawn into a new dimension.
GEORGES CABRERA
“The goal is always to bring art into public space. And the museum is the harbor,” declares Marie Barbey-Chpuis, administrative advisor at the head of the Department of Security and Sports of the City of Geneva, which organizes the event.
This year the works are concentrated in a restricted area, mainly around the English Garden, in order to facilitate discovery and create a festival atmosphere. A refreshment bar also awaits visitors.
A nocturnal ballet
For three editions, the festival has enriched its programming by adding artistic performances and sound and light shows. Thursday’s dress rehearsal also provided a glimpse of “The Night Ballet”, a show which will launch the festivities this Friday and Saturday, during which legendary creatures, half flying fish, half aquatic spirits, come to life thanks to flyboard artists (editor’s note: hydro-propelled lift machine)twirling above the lake between the lasers.
The creation “The Nocturnal Ballet”.
GEORGES CABRERA
Another key demonstration of this edition: a sound and light show entitled “Rade Radiance», which will be held on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Delegation from Helsinki
Over the years, the Geneva Lux Festival has gained notoriety, now attracting not only Genevans, but also increasing numbers of visitors from abroad. A delegation from the city of Helsinki will even be present this year to draw inspiration from the Geneva organization, we learn.
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A craze that is also felt on platforms like Instagram or Facebook, on which photos and videos of the event are widely shared. In 2024, the festival had generated 910,000 impressions on the networks.
Geneva Lux’s 2025 budget, excluding operating costs, is around 450,000 francs.
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Georges Cabrera is a video journalist. Previously, he worked for more than fifteen years as a photographer covering local life for the Tribune de Genève. He received the Swiss Press Photo in 2003 (art and culture) and in 2012 (sport).More info
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