Graduate curates multi-sensory installation at Heritage and Arts Centre

MA Moving Image and Sound graduate Heena Song curates ‘Light the HAC’, a multi-sensory exploration of light and sound installation at Heritage and Arts Centre,  previously an abandoned church building in East London.

The exhibition will feature liquid light projection, interactive live visual projection, and ambient sound. The aim is to light the exterior space of the Heritage & Arts Centre for the first time and pay homage to its renewal following four decades of decaying in the darkness.

We talk to Heena to find out how her experience curating, organising and selecting some of her own work to feature in the exhibition is going…

Tell us about Light the HAC

When I found this heritage and art centre I was amazed by the primal and grand space features with mottled walls and colourful long windows. I thought it would be amazing to illuminate the interiors with visuals and the form of light art.

What is the significance of exhibiting art in historical buildings?

To have a site-specific installation is especially interesting because the HAS has a history that had been abandoned for four decades. Utilising light art to illuminate the space in this historical context especially, has a symbolic meaning.

How the experience of curating and organising this event been?

It has been challenging to curate and organise. For a newly formed charity heritage centre, we have limited time, resource and budget to put on an event of this nature. For artists exhibiting, we are not only experimenting with our art but also need to consider how we engage and provide a unique experience for the wider community through our work.

Can you tell us about your work that features in the installation?

I will use liquid light and digital projection. Liquid light is a form of light art that occurred in the early 1960s as an accompaniment to electronic music and avant-garde theatre performances. Nowadays, light show is popular in gigs as a secondary visual companion to the music.

As a filmmaker and visual artist, I want to explore and repurpose light art in an untraditional space to see how the elements react with each other.

Do you have other projects coming up?

I am working on translating film books into Chinese with DREDfilmlab, who are dedicated to film research in China. The development of experimental films in China is in a more difficult situation. We hope to introduce and translate good experimental film books, films for younger students.

Light the HAC will be exhibiting on Saturday 13 November from 6pm to 9pm at the Heritage & Arts Centre, Bow.