BLINK 2017 turned Cincinnati into a futurist’s neon-lit wonderland, animating familiar murals and buildings with projected light displays created by artists from across the globe.
Even if you headed downtown to soak it all in, you still might have missed one of its most stunning installations: The Architects of Air luminarium, which invited visitors to another world made of interlocking colored, illuminated tents. It was BLINK’s only paid or ticketed event ($5 got you in) and closed each night before the other displays began.
Don’t worry, though. The luminarium will be back in October for BLINK 2019, courtesy of Macy’s.
“Celebrating and creating community is at the heart of Macy’s,” Matt Stautberg, Macy’s senior vice president of corporate planning, said in a statement. “Macy’s is proud to continue our support of the arts in Cincinnati and thrilled to present this year’s Architects of Air sculpture and the spirit of BLINK.”
Those who did make it inside the last luminarium will still have a reason to return, according to a release from the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. The 2019 edition will comprise a brand new design titled “Dodecalis” — a reference to an obscure botanical term describing flowers in the daisy family.
“The luminaria designed by company founder Alan Parkinson are inspired by natural forms, geometric solids, Islamic and Gothic architecture,” according to the release. “Each new creation is a maze of winding paths and inspiring domes in which visitors may lose themselves in sensory bliss.”
The release did not provide individual ticket pricing information for the new installation, but ArtsWave donors who contribute $150 or more will receive two tickets as part of their benefits package.
BLINK 2019 will run Oct. 10-13 and cover an even larger section of Greater Cincinnati than its predecessor, stretching across the river into Covington.
