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Peter Freeman’s ‘Travelling Light’

Peter Freeman’s ‘Travelling Light’

Junction 21, M5

Light artist Peter Freeman collaborated with Architainment Lighting Ltd to create a 44ft lighting beacon for Junction 21 of the UK’s M5 motorway.

To bring his vision to life, Freeman used Philips Color Kinetics iColor Flex SL (now iColor Flex MX gen2) LED fittings, incorporating 2,100 individually controlled tri-color LED nodes. The sculpture, named Travelling Light and commissioned by Locking Castle Ltd, displays intricate lighting effects that change based on the day of the week and special occasions.

For example:

  • Cosmic color patterns mark the summer and winter solstices.
  • Fiery effects light up for Bonfire Night.
  • Daily effects include smooth transitions through primary colors with added sparkle.

The 93ft beacon (including a 49ft mound) is controlled by Philips Color Kinetics’ Light System Manager (LSM), an Ethernet-based software/hardware solution that manages large-scale light shows.

A Vision of Light and Time

Freeman shared his inspiration for Travelling Light:

“Light and the changing seasons are a very important element of living in the southwest. With Travelling Light, I wanted to create a visual spectacle that expresses an exuberance of color, reflects the passage of time, and lightens the journey of drivers heading into the region.”

Project Credits

  • Completion Date: May 2012
  • Client: Locking Castle Ltd.
  • Lighting Designer & Photographer: Peter Freeman

The Deep