To many of us, New Year seems like a lifetime ago, what with a seemingly endless period of January exams and resolutions that may or may not have flopped. Fortunately, Lakeside Arts stepped in to give a helping hand with the January blues a few weeks ago. They arranged a light projection show on the Trent Building’s façade in aid of Chinese New Year. Although that Sunday’s unrelenting rainfall made me initially reluctant to go, the experience was certainly worth the soggy feet.
The ever-brilliant Lakeside Arts put on plenty of activities to celebrate Chinese New year over the first fortnight back at university, with various arts and crafts workshops, a photography exhibition centred on ‘Traditional Artisans in South West China’ and a performance by the ‘China Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble’.
I invited a few friends to join me at the free light show on the university’s iconic Trent Building. Booking was free, easy to do on the website and there were six different showings across the weekend to choose from, making it very accessible. We showed up about half an hour early to collect our tickets and momentarily take sanctuary from the downpour outside.
Roughly five minutes before the performance was due to start, we were directed outside and onto the pathway that encircles the lake, beautifully lit to set the ambience. The mini procession began soon after with the audience following a Chinese dragon dance to the platform before the campus gates.
The projections were something really special, showing the stereotypical Chinese dragon appear to burst through building windows, falling blossom petals and graphics physically depicting the background musical performance. The whole thing was really awe-inspiring and allowed myself and my friends time to fully appreciate how far we have come in the last year. As first years, there was no more poignant place to do this than looking up to the famous Trent Building.
I admittedly entered into the performance with high expectations, given the technological feats achievable in the modern day with 3D animation etc. Although mostly fulfilled and exceeded, to an extent some of the visuals were a little compromised by their speed, making them appear a little blurred. My only other argument would be perhaps proximity: some of the best photos of the event, posted on the University of Nottingham Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheUniofNottingham/photos/?tab=album&album_i…), were taken from a closer angle and it would have been perhaps nice to have at times been allowed a closer perspective, although I know this would not have been easily arranged.
In conclusion, Lakeside Arts delivered a spectacular show that really got me excited for whatever the New Year has in store. I’d give the event 4 stars.
Definitely give the Lakeside Arts website a look: http://www.lakesidearts.org.uk
Edited by: Jessica Greaney
Sources:
The University of Nottingham