360° experience invites audiences to step inside the story
Internationally renowned art collective, Luxmuralis, will make its Irish debut in Kilkenny this December with Starlight, a 35-minute immersive experience of light, sound, and fine-art projection.
The large-scale installation running from 14 to 21 December is the highlight of Kilkenny County Council’s Yulefest Kilkenny celebrations this winter. For eight nights, Starlight will transform the 800-year-old interior of St Canice’s Cathedral into a vast canvas of moving light projections and cinematic soundscapes.
Described as the ‘stained glass windows of our time’, as visitors enter the immersive space within the cathedral, they will be guided through an emotional story arc that brings home the meaning of Christmas. The story unfolds through a series of fine art projections and bespoke accompanying compositions culminating in a powerful retelling of the Nativity story.
Organisers say the show will offer Irish audiences a new way to experience the spirit of Christmas. “We’re excited to share this extraordinary immersive experience. Something completely new for Ireland,” Marian Flannery, Director of Yulefest Kilkenny, said. “Starlight offers audiences a unique way to rediscover the magic of Christmas, made even more special against the centuries-old walls of St Canice’s Cathedral.”
Luxmuralis (Latin for light mural) is an internationally renowned artistic collaboration between sculptor Peter Walker and composer David Harper. The collective has presented artwork in some of the world’s most iconic locations, including St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, Oxford University, the Limburg Dom in Germany, and The Tower of London. Their work has been seen by over 1.2 million people in the UK, throughout Europe and the United States.
Peter Walker, Luxmuralis’ Artistic Director, is pleased to bring the experience to Ireland. “We are delighted to be bringing Luxmuralis to Ireland for the very first time and debuting the Starlight light and sound installation in Kilkenny. It is wonderful to be bringing this immersive artwork to St Canice’s Cathedral, something audiences in Ireland have never experienced before. Kilkenny provides the perfect backdrop for this celebration of light, hope and wonder, and we cannot wait to share it in Ireland.”
Dean of St Canice’s Cathedral, the very Reverend, Stephen Farrell, added,
“I’m absolutely thrilled that St Canice’s Cathedral is going to host Starlight by Luxmuralis this December. Our historic 800-year-old building has seen so much change. To have such a new, state-of-the-art art form telling a story that is ancient and timeless really speaks to what we’re about in the Cathedral. I hope that people from across Kilkenny and beyond come and spend some time in a totally immersive light and soundscape.”
Kilkenny Yulefest is the city’s programme of Christmas events, which includes markets, concerts, and family activities organised by Kilkenny County Council. St Canice’s Cathedral and Round Tower is a focal point in the festivities as it becomes the stage for Luxmuralis; ‘art on an epic scale‘.
