‘Welcome to the Land of Light’ is a contemporary public art installation located along the Vancouver Seawall, that was crafted in 1997 by local artist Henry Tsang, in conjunction with the City of Vancouver. For over 20-years the original fibre optic lighting cable, that spotlighted the aluminum lettering, became weathered by the elements including False Creek’s saltwater. Mac’s II Agencies Specification Team, alongside Kelvix Lighting, worked very closely with the artist to upgrade over 300 ft of strip lighting to exceed his vision of re-illuminating this timeless piece.

The Signwave 4 Silicone DMX Pixel, by Kelvix Lighting, is known for its neon RGBW vibrancy, robust horizontal bending profile and its resistance to UV, solvents and salt water. Along with making modifications to ensure the flexible fixture could withstand the elements, and meet the vibrant vision of the artist, the Kelvix Lighting team outlined detailed installation instructions for a smooth assembly; including individually tagging over 30 pieces.

After several test installations, the new LED technology, recessed into the concrete, allowed the artist to re-envision the ‘message’ of the piece. In addition to the Chinuk Wawa and English text (a metaphor for the ongoing development of intercultural communications within the region), the lighting creates a form of ‘electric telegraphy’ (aka morse code). The Chinuk Wawa text was translated into dots and dashes before being converted into bands of light from vessel navigation systems. The streams of colour flow for 2-hours and 16-minutes in a singular direction before reversing in the other with a dominant colour set for each rotation.

Best viewed between dusk to dawn, this impressive cultural art installation continues to captivate thousands of people who walk along the Seawall each week.

Project Spotlight

• Henry Tsang – Welcome to the Land of Light
• Kelvix – Welcome to the Land of Light
• City of Vancouver – Public Art Registry: Welcome to the Land of Light

Location: Vancouver, BC
End User: City of Vancouver
Artist: Henry Tsang
Engineer: City of Vancouver
Distributor: E.B. Horsman & Son
Manufacturer: Kelvix
Photographer: James Alfred Photography