Festival to light up St Magnus

We’re more than used to St Magnus Cathedral being lit up in every colour of the rainbow outside — but an artistic duo are set to project a dynamic show of light on its interior this week.n artistic duo are set to project a dynamic show of light on its interior this June.

Brothers Matt and Rob Vale of Illuminos have crafted a show of projections to dance on the pillars of the cathedral during St Magnus Festival.

Just part of the festival’s Magnus Mixtape event, a lot of work has gone into the colourful display.

“It’s an internal space, which is a little less common for us,”said Rob, who alongside his brother has create displays for landmarks like Lichfield Cathedral and Kojakuji Temple in Japan.

“Often we map pieces onto the front of buildings, but we also create things for interiors.

“It’s quite a complicated space, and the series of pillars is what hits you when you walk into that space anyway. So we wanted to try and work with that and something that very distinctly fits with those pillars.”

Magnus Mixtape will fuse light with sound in a promenade piece, presenting well-known music and musical arrangements throughout the nave, aisles and Rognvald chapel, in a collaborative effort between Illuminos, the Morris Begg Duo, and The Assembly Project.

Rob explained that the light projections have been crafted specifically to suit the cultural context of the space.

“With St Magnus Cathedral — it’s got this ancient feel to it, this sense that it’s been there almost forever,” he said.

“It’s almost organic, as if it’s grown out of the very rock it stands on, so it lends itself to certain imagery.”

You can catch Magnus Mixtape on June 25 and 26. More information on www.stmagnusfestival.com