In the realm of media architecture and its role in supporting struggles for social justice, the recent Media Architecture Biennale 2023 (MAB23) in Toronto, Canada, shed light on a captivating aspect: The rapid and vast propagation of solidarity lighting in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The synchronized illuminations, infused with activism and global art projects, became a powerful emblem of worldwide support for Ukraine during its time of crisis. Two emphatic female political leaders in Europe initiated the lighting solidarity message. Surprisingly, the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag illumination on iconic buildings worldwide defined an image of solidarity even faster in the press than large crowds of people in anti-war protests the weekend after the war began.
In contrast to media facades as permanent layers on facades delivering dynamic cultural or branding messages, the majority of Ukraine flag illuminations have appeared as temporary additional static layers for political communication. By switching on the light for a foreign country, building owners and political representatives have effectively demonstrated that they wanted to express empathy. These interventions indicated that building owners were open to reimagine their existing facade designs in order to renew facades with a resolute statement, thereby achieving a higher relevance for themselves and the building in a public discourse.
The deployment of Russian troops across the Ukraine border signaled the rising threat from Russia leading to modest protests, for example in Washington in January 2022. However, the crisis deepened in the following weeks, and Berlin and Paris took the lead in expressing solidarity at night. On February 23, the day before Russia started the war, the Brandenburg Gate appeared in blue and yellow, and the City Hall in Paris in the same colors to show unity with Ukraine. Already on the next day, numerous buildings were lit in blue and yellow, symbolizing solidarity with Ukraine in Europe. Worldwide blue and yellow illuminations emerged in the following days.
On the subject of war, Berlin carries a special significance because the national socialist regime planned and controlled the Second World War from Berlin, and today's democratic politicians in Berlin therefore live with a special sensitivity and responsibility for safeguarding peace. Franziska Giffey, then-mayor of Berlin, played a pivotal role in initiating the special lighting tribute. Her press release points out that the illumination is for her a sign of solidarity for the people in Ukraine, the Berlin citizens with Ukrainian backgrounds, and the Russian people who long for peace in Russia and Ukraine. Notably, she had planned and synchronized the illumination even before Russia's attack on Ukraine, underlining her profound commitment to peace. Giffey's coordination with Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, further accentuated the European message of solidarity emanating from the two sister cities.
The impact was immediate and widespread, with international news agencies like Reuters swiftly disseminating the colored Brandenburg Gate imagery across the global media landscape. The next time the Brandenburg Gate was intensely featured in the news was the weekend after the start of the war, when a large protest with an estimated crowd of 100,000 people opposed the war. This timeline also shows that the image of solidarity emanating from Berlin began with the nighttime projection of the Ukraine flag and was later complemented by the daytime protest. And through the medium of temporary media on architecture, the world witnessed a poignant moment where buildings became beacons of empathy, catalyzing conversations on a global scale about solidarity and justice.
Amidst the constructive maneuvers of civil resistance orchestrated by local politicians and building owners through their own buildings, another, more confrontational method has emerged - a daring tactic by activists determined to confront the source of invasion head-on, right at Russian property's doorstep. A small group of resolute demonstrators, in April 2022, deftly employed striking projection technology to throw the Ukrainian flag onto the facade of the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C.. The projection allowed the activists to visually occupy the building with a prominent and imposing Ukraine flag, all without breaching the embassy's physical boundaries. The symbolic gesture took the world by storm, swiftly going viral across social media platforms, capturing the essence of a fast-paced cat-and-mouse game.
The digital art and culture platform CIRCA, meanwhile, added its own artistic nuance to the solidarity lighting movement, forgoing the traditional blue and yellow symbol in favor of large black letters against a crisp white backdrop. On this luminescent canvas, Yoko Ono's profound work, "IMAGINE PEACE," was beamed across grand advertisement screens in metropolises like London, Berlin, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Milan, New York, Seoul, and Tokyo. The piece, with roots in Yoko Ono and John Lennon's iconic "Bed-In" protest against the Vietnam War in 1969 and a poster installation in London in response to the September 11, 2001 terror attack, served as a potent global call for peace.
Amidst these striking interventions, the question arises: how does media architecture lend its support to struggles for social justice? The answer lies in the power of illuminated gestures, where mayors and building owners illuminate iconic landmarks, covering them with the colors of a nation in crisis, forging a visual connection and an intense gesture of solidarity. This phenomenon was strikingly evident in the worldwide cascade of blue and yellow illuminations, an outpouring of unity among cities and countries standing in staunch support of Ukraine. Yet, while solidarity in these moments is crucial, American philosopher Sally Scholz reminds us that it demands more than mere symbolic gestures. Genuine collective responsibility and tangible action must underpin these visual displays, as the danger of virtue signaling looms when the signal effect overshadows meaningful deeds.
Such visual responses, however, have been significantly propelled by the advent of a new generation of flexible lighting technology in recent years. Particularly, the aftermath of terror attacks in France in 2015 witnessed luminous interventions of solidarity in other nations, an evidence to the increased accessibility and adaptability of color-changing LEDs and projection techniques. In contrast, the earlier Islamist terror attacks in Europe, as seen in Spain in 2004, unfolded during a period when such advanced lighting technology was not as widespread or commonplace on landmarks and public buildings.
When we look back at the events surrounding Ukraine in 2022, the unifying visual language of illuminating iconic landmarks worldwide with a coherent and consistent motif emerges as a potent and effective strategy. This impressive demonstration not only communicated a resolute message of solidarity but also served as a luminous shield for a nation in turmoil, igniting awareness and galvanizing a collective call for justice and peace. In the ever-evolving space of media architecture, the interplay of light, art, and activism continues to captivate the world, making gestures that reverberate far beyond the borders of nations. These luminous interventions stand as thoughtful symbols of collective strength and resilience, encapsulating the eager pursuit of a more just and peaceful world.
To learn more about the Media Architecture Biennale visit mab23.org. A recording of the above topic is available on YouTube: Cities light up in solidarity with Ukraine.
Light matters, a column on light and space, is written by Dr. Thomas Schielke. Based in Germany, he is fascinated by architectural lighting and works as a trainer for the lighting company ERCO. He has published numerous articles and co-authored the books “Light Perspectives” and “SuperLux”. For more information check www.erco.com and www.arclighting.de.
