To our clients and colleagues, apologies for any bleary-eyedness at this difficult (yet wonderful) time.  Yep, world cup fever has swept the Electrolight office.

Mark, Jess, Tomas and Horatio have all been very quiet since the Shockeroos were trounced by a German unit as efficient as a Bosch drill.  Samantha and I have toned down our rhetoric following a dismal draw with USA! USA! USA!  Rosana is all samba and smiles following Brazil’s opening win while Dave is positively cock-a-hoop with the battling Kiwi’s last gasp draw again the Slovakia Kings.  I’m sure I’m not alone in being awash with emails regarding the world cup but my favourite to date has to be the Lego reconstruction of England’s game with USA.

I have been overwhelmed with the feedback from The Meaning of Light…

Just a short note, to say thank you for putting on such a fantastic show last night.   I really enjoyed it, the nature of the talks certainly kept the cold at bay for me. Sure when you have such an interesting diverse group of speakers there will be highs and not so highs – Rachel’s letter was powerful and heart-felt; Rafael’s talk was captivating, Matt Irwin’s images were mesmerizing, for example.  DAVID ROOKE

Last night was great! You pulled off a really balanced and informative evocation of the power of light to touch people. Well done!  I could relate to all speakers, but was blown away by Rachel Burke’s love letter to light, and Rafael’s interactive light installations.  MALCOM MUNRO

Your gig last night was terrific. All the presenters were interesting and gave me things to think about, but I was particularly moved by Rachel’s letter — I hope she gets it published somewhere, because it’s really well written and worth a wider audience.  All in all, a great success.   MICHAEL MUETZELFELDT

Well done last might, we all really enjoyed the event and the diversity of speakers, I think we are heading down there tonight again at 6.30pm!  MARK GRAHAM

last night’s “The meaning of Light” talk was great! Everyone seemed to find the speakers really interesting. I found Rafael’s presentation quite inspiring.  CATRIONA SIMMONS

Paul - great night.  Well done.  Cheers Mark   MARK HAYCOX

Just a quick note to say thanks for organising Thursday night - despite the cold, it was inspirational to hear others talk about what light meant to them.  Rachel, I particularly enjoyed your letter (PS you’re not the only one that looks at traffic lights and other lit objects to try and guess the Rosco/Lee colour equivalents!).  I’m looking forward to dragging the kids to Fed Square one night to be mesmerised by Rafael’s installation. In the meantime, thanks again and keep up the great work!  JOE CASAMENTO

I thought the whole thing was quite a success, despite my own views about some of the activities presented.  Paul deserves a great deal of credit, not least for the breadth of aspects covered and his skilled handling of the introductions.  The smooth running of the show was clearly due to the efforts and competence of several people, certainly including yourself (Samantha)  BARRY CLARK

Just a quick note to say thanks for both the organization and inspiration for the event last night……I thought it was wonderful-particularly because of the thought you gave to its composition. I got some really nice feedback and I think it will be great to continue this theme into the future…..thanks so much again for your enthusiasm and support. I ran into Rafael this morning and he was so complimentary!  KATE BRENNAN

Thanks again for a great night, I think that it was an amazing time and so well put together..    JOE NORSTER

I didn’t a chance last night amongst the crowd at the end to properly thank you for organising last night. I thought that it was very insightful to hear from such a diversified cohort of speakers who had such a common interest   DAVID HOWARD

I really enjoyed the other night and was sorry I had to leave after Joe’s guerrilla lighting explanation. I was particularly touched by Rachel’s letter to light which as you said on the night was just beautiful. It also unearthed a side to light that I had never considered. I don’t think I will ever look at the cross fade of the traffic lights in the same way again!   STEVE GRENDA

Rafael Lozano-Hemmer's Solar Equation

At Electrolight we like to get involved in things outside of  day-to-day lighting design.  We think that it is important to make a contribution to the design community and support community focussed events such as Midsumma festival, the Ringwood Art Project and of course LightCycle - a competition which we run every 2 years where lighting design enthusiasts make their own own wonderful creations from a standard kit of parts.

Next week we have organised an event at Melbourne’s architectural masterpiece Federation Square called The Meaning of Light.  The event is on the eve of the launch of Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s The Solar Equation. The speakers come from diverse backgrounds but all share one thing in common - light plays a profound role in their lives.  For anyone interested in light who would like to gain access to of some of the best thinkers on the subject, this event is a must.

Details: Fed Square, Thursday 3 June, 7pm in the plaza.  There will be heaters!

Spectacular lighting? I don't think so

I was invited to the opening of Melbourne’s new football stadium on Friday night.  When I left home it was a bit overcast and I thought I’d definitely need a jumper.  On the train I saw a few spots of rain on the window.  Arrive at Jolimont station and it’s pouring - just a shower I assumed.  On the train I get a text message saying that according to the paper there is going to be a lighting spectacular on the roof of the stadium before the game.  Now my understanding was that the spectacular lighting system that we designed would not be complete for another month or so; needless to say I was intrigued.  When I get to the ground I see one of those really unfortunate laser lighting installations lighting up the shells of the stadium roof.

I get to my seat and wouldn’t ya know it, it was positioned immediately below the drip line of the roof giving me the double problem of driving rain hitting me directly and a steady drip, drip, drip of rain from the roof above.  A 12 year old next to me advises that he has taken the last of the ponchos from the vendor in the circulation space.  My jumper by now (and jeans and shoes for that matter) is soaking wet.  25 minutes in and it’s 0-0. I still don’t get the rules completely.  Then there is grounds for optimism - my companion for the evening Quinny and I discover  that despite the sign at the bar, full strength beer is being served, and we find a hot 4 ‘n’ 20.  Then we think ‘there is a god’ as we see a couple of ponchos sticking out of the bin.  This is not a time to be proud or image conscious so we get them on and endure another quarter of an hour till half time.  Then, neither of us had the stamina for another 40 minutes of rugby league initiation in the rain so instead we repaired to the Hilton Hotel bar where it’s warm and dry.

Some time later, a particularly damp looking man tells me Australia won.

Yes, the rain really was that bad

I happened to visit the new ANZ headquarters the other day in Melbourne Docklands and found a gang of bricklayers busily (and unusually delicately) building the first mounds of Mark Stoner’s new sculpture called ‘A river runs through it‘.  We designed the lighting about a year ago now and were kinda wondering what had happened with it!  If  the first mound is anything to go by, the end result will be terrific (especially at night).