Editor’s Pick: Georgetown’s GLOW
The exhibition of outdoor light creations features five installations from an acclaimed and diverse mix of international and national artists.
The region’s only curated light art exhibition, GLOW is a free event of the Georgetown Business Improvement District. The 2022 exhibition of outdoor light creations features five installations from an acclaimed and diverse mix of international and national artists.
After last year’s two-part seasonal switch-up, GLOW returns to its pre-pandemic roots as an end-of-year holiday affair — one originally promoted as a chance “to re-imagine the season of light.” The 8th annual showcase features nightly displays from various locations around the commercial district and will be on view for a full eight weeks.
“We’re thrilled to bring GLOW back to the winter months and brighten the holiday experience for our visitors,” says Nancy Miyahira of Georgetown BID. “Our expanded, two-month experience kicks off on Small Business Saturday, and is the perfect way to celebrate the start of the holiday season after a day of shopping in support of our local merchants.”
The 2022 lineup includes:
Light Falls by Leandro Mendes Vigas of Brazil, a waterfall-invoking installation made up of a series of illuminated tubes cascading downward from a height of more than 16 feet and accompanied by ambient sounds of the Amazon rainforest at 2918 M St. NW.
Picto Sender Machine by Felipe Prado of Chile, featuring an enormous low-resolution screen of 1200 enlarged pixels allowing visitors to create short, wordless videos with messages conveyed through their silhouettes, gestures, and moves, at Washington Harbor, 3000 K St. NW.
All The Light You See by Alicia Eggert of Texas, a poetic statement about the passing of time as reflected by the transmission of light at the Georgetown Waterfront Park, Wisconsin Avenue and K Street NW.
Butterfly Effect by Masamichi Shimada of Japan, a display of six gigantic, blue-hued glowing butterflies metaphorically riffing on the popular science-derived concept that even small acts or actors can make a large impact and change the world at Grace Church, 1041 Wisconsin Ave. NW.
The Cloud Swing by Lindsay Glatz & Curious Form of New Orleans, swings suspended from cloud structures of changing colors and lights as visitors swing through the air, similar to a 2019 GLOW installation from the artist at East Market Lane, 3276 M St. NW.
Additional GLOW programming this year includes GLOW-themed yoga and Pilates classes, a silent disco, a special evening of late-night shopping on December 9, and a slew of more than 30 guided walking tours planned by local tour companies — including DC By Foot’s daily GLOW-focused offering in which an expert guide sheds light on the particular installations in context of the neighborhood’s contemporary culture and diverse history.
GLOW begins Saturday, Nov. 26. Installations will be lit from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly through January 22. Visit GeorgetownGLOWDC.com.
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