The LUMA Projection Arts Festival will return to Binghamton on September 8. During the projection show, which is in its ninth year, artists’ storytelling animations are displayed onto buildings in downtown Binghamton.
The festival uses project mapping, 3D animation, light installations, and live performances to transform buildings into art. LUMA representatives and elected officials gathered recently to announce the festival’s artist lineup.
“We have three returning artists, we have three new artists, and a feature yet to be announced that we hope to announce later this week,” Joshua Bernard, co-founder of LUMA, said.
Bernard said this year there are a total of six light features by immersive artists from all over the world.
Some artists have shown their work at LUMA before. Returning favorites from last year include Romera, MAXIN10SITY, and Mindscape. Mindscape is working with a new artist to the festival, Snow Raven, who will be singing live at the performances. The new artists featured this year are Glitch and Yann Nguema.
Bernard said this year, the mural mapping feature, a collection of pieces by local artists, is being renamed the “Peg Johnston Living Lights Project.” Johnston founded the mural mapping feature and was active with the local art showcase Cooperative Gallery 213. She passed away in May this year.
“Peg Johnston was an amazing activist, artist, and community organizer,” Bernard said. “We are incredibly proud to rename the Mural Mapping Project in honor of Peg Johnston.”
State Senator Lea Webb, who represents Binghamton, Cortland and Ithaca, said the LUMA Festival tells important human stories of challenges people are dealing with right now.
“It's the way that we center ourselves as human beings and the art that gets fostered,” said Webb. “It’s an important conduit for strengthening our community beyond just when it's held during the year.”
The LUMA Festival runs from September 8-9 in downtown Binghamton.