A one-of-a-kind laser light installment was just announced to launch over the Congaree River in mid-August.
The project, titled "Southern Lights," was created by artist Chris Robinson, a professor at the University of South Carolina School of Visual Art and Design."Southern Lights" consists of a combination of lasers and strategically placed mirrors that create a light show that spans between the Gervais and Blossom Street bridges over the river.
Robinson has created dozens of other large-scale art pieces, including a notable collaboration with Rockne Krebs, which was displayed at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
“My installations create a sculptural structure, draw attention to interesting aspects of the surrounding environment and illuminate the distinctive quality of laser light,” Robinson said via a press release. “The Congaree River is special and unusual in that it is relatively dark in the middle of an urban environment and the beams can go both under and over the bridges and the viewers.”
This art piece is the only installation of its kind in the United States. Starting on Aug. 19, as part of the highly anticipated solar eclipse celebrations throughout Columbia, "Southern Lights" will illuminate every day at dusk for the next 10 years. Depending on where an individual stands, the lights will appear differently due to the location of the mirrors.
The long-term installment highlights the architecture present in Columbia, as well as the work of Charles Townes, the South Carolina native that created scientific theories that ultimately led to the development of laser technologies. The project was made possible through What's Next Midlands and EngenuitySC, as well as numerous organizations throughout Richland County.