Let there be light... in St George’s Square

An inflatable walk-through palace of light and colour will be competing with the baroque palaces in the surroundings of St George’s Square in Valletta.

Luminaria, a project by Architects of Air, will run between Monday and November 20 and probably go down as one of the major highlights of Żigużajg, the week-long programme of performing arts for children organised by the Office of the Prime Minister in conjunction with St James Cavalier.

It will culminate in the celebration of World Children’s Day on November 20.

The luminarium being set up in Valletta is known as the Miracoco. The latest design was built in 2011, explains Alan Parkinson, artistic director at Architects of Air.

Set up in 1992, Architects of Air is based in Nottingham, UK, in a 4,000-square-foot former textile workshop. The company has five permanent employees and 15 temporary staff for touring and construction.

Mr Parkinson, who first started experimenting with pneumatic sculptures in the 1980s, said: “What motivates me to design is the fact that I continue to be struck by the beauty of light and colour found in the luminaria.

“These structures nurture an awareness of a pure phenomenon that gently cuts through everyday conditioned perceptions and awakens a sense of wonder in people. The pneumatic form has a simple purity that echoes the light it contains.”

Luminaria will be open Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (last entry at 12.30 p.m.) and between 4 and 7 p.m. (last entry at 6.30) and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (last entry at 6.30) on Saturday and Sunday.

Entrance is open to all the family, free of charge, and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The luminarium is accessible to wheelchair users.

www.architects-of-air.com