'Lighting to Unite' Asks the Country, World to Join Together
WASHINGTON, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Swiss lighting artist Gerry Hofstetter
projected images ranging from abstracts of the Cathedral's stained glass
windows to faces of people of all races onto Washington National Cathedral as
a call for national and global unity in a project entitled "Lighting to
Unite."
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to:
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/cathedral/33038 /.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080509/NYF100 )
From sunset to midnight on three evenings, May 9-11, the Cathedral's south
and west sides with be illuminated in celebration of the Cathedral's
centennial, illustrating its mission of reconciliation and spotlighting its
role as a spiritual beacon for the nation.
"Light is one our most powerful symbols -- evoking a sense of possibility
and new life. For three nights, illumination artist Gerry Hofstetter will
light up the Cathedral against the night sky of Washington, D.C. with images
that speak of unity and reconciliation," said Cathedral Dean Sam Lloyd. "My
hope is that everyone who experiences the brilliantly lit Cathedral, either
online or in-person, will catch a glimpse of human oneness and harmony and be
inspired to build bridges of understanding."
Hofstetter, one of the world's best-known light artists, transforms
buildings, monuments and natural beauty spots into contemporary works of art.
His recent work includes projections of polar bears on Antarctic icebergs,
hieroglyphics on the ancient pyramids of Egypt, Swiss crosses on the
Matterhorn and abstract colors on the Arc de Triomphe. Hofstetter plans to
illuminate Mount Kilimanjaro in the near future.
The public is invited to join in the celebration in several ways. On
Saturday evening, May 10, seven music ensembles will perform from 7 p.m. to
8:50 p.m., preceding the illumination, and food vendors will also be on the
premises (weather permitting). Everyone is invited to picnic and bring
cameras. People can also visit Washington National Cathedral on Flickr,
MySpace, Facebook and at www.nationalcathedral.org to post photos, email
friends and proclaim commitments to humankind's diverse unity.
"Lighting to Unite" is made possible, in part, through the generous
support of PNC Bank, WAMU 88.5 FM and the Embassy of Switzerland.
More information on "Lighting to Unite" can be found at
www.nationalcathedral.org.
Office of Public Affairs
SOURCE Washington National Cathedral
Elizabeth Mullen, WNC, +1-202-537-6248; or Emilija Georgieva, Embassy of
Switzerland, +1-202-745-7940
